FOURTH  REGIMENT,  N.  C.  S.  T. 


By  COLONEL  E.  A.  OSBORNE. 


To  write  a  full  and  accurate  history  of  this  noble  body  of  men 
would  require  far  more  time,  ability  and  space  than  the  present 
writer  can  command.  But  as  the  honor  and  distinction  of  writ- 
ing a  brief  sketch  has  fallen  to  my  lot,  I  cheerfully  and  grate- 
fully address  myself  to  the  task,  feeling  at  the  same  time  deeply 
conscious  of  my  unworthiness  and  inability  to  handle  such  a 
theme.  I  cannot  conceive  of  a  braver,  truer,  nobler,  more  de- 
voted and  self-denying  body  of  men  than  was  this  splendid  regi- 
ment of  North  Carolinians.  In  every  position,  under  the  most 
trying  circumstances  in  which  men  can  be  placed,  from  the  camp 
of  instruction  to  the  close  of  a  four  years'  war — a  war  that  in- 
volved more  hardships,  more  persevering  courage  and  fortitude, 
more  self-denial,  more  devotion,  more  true  manhood  and  endur- 
ance, more  love  of  home,  of  country  and  of  principle,  and  more 
true  heroism  on  the  part  of  the  men  of  the  South  than  has  been 
manifested  at  least  in  modern  times,  these  devoted  men,  ever 
forgetful  of  self,  and  following  firmly  and  steadily  in  the  lead  of 
patriotic  duty,  without  pay,  and  suffering  for  the  bare  necessa- 
ries of  life  most  of  the  time,  never  flinched  nor  murmured;  but 
endured  with  sublime  patience  and  fortitude  the  hardships  of 
the  camp,  of  the  march,  of  the  bivouac,  and  the  many  terrible 
scenes  of  strife,  and  blood,  and  carnage,  through  which  they 
passed  during  these  four  long  and  terrible  years  of  suffering  and 
trial. 

In  writing  this  sketch  I  must  be  content  to  give  a  mere  outline 
of  actual  occurrences.  The  facts  simply  stated  speak  for  them- 
selves. ,  They  need  no  embellishment  to  commend  their  actors 
to  the  admiration  of  all  who  value  and  love  what  is  brave  and 


true  and  manly.  The  un varnished  story  of  these  brave  and  de- 
voted men  who  gave  themselves  for  the  cause  they  loved  fur- 
nishes such  examples  of  heroic  valor,  unselfish  devotion  and 
unwavering  faithfulness  as  will  be  an  inspiration  and  an  honor 
to  their  countrymen  in  all  future  ages. 

The  Fourth  Regiment  of  North  Carolina  State  Troops  was 
organized  at  Camp  Hill,  near  Garysburg,  N.  C,  in  May,  186L 
The  field  officers  at  first  were : 

George  Buegwyn  Anderson,  Colonel. 

John  Augustus  Young,  Lieutenant-Colonel. 

Bryan  Grimes,  Major. 

Dr.  J.  K.  King,  Surgeon. 

Dr.  B.  S.  Thomas,  Assistant  Surgeon. 

Captain  John  D.  Hyman,  Commissary. 

Captain  Thomas  H.  Blount,  Quartermaster. 

Thomas  L.  Perry,  Adjutant, 

Rev.  William  A.  Wood,  Chaplain. 

R.  F.  Simonton,  Commissary  Sergeant. 

F.  A.  Carlton,  Sergeant- Major. 

Elam  Morrison,  Quartermaster's  Sergeant. 

The  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  Confederate  service  in 
May,  1861. 

The  following  promotions  were  made  to  the  field  and  staff 
officers  during  the  war:  John  W.  Dunham,  Major;  Bryan 
Grimes,  Lieuteuant-Colonel  and  Colonel;  James  H.  Wood, 
Major,  Lieutenant-Colonel  and  Colonel;  A.  K.  Simonton, 
Major;  J.  F.  Stancill,  Major;  Edwin  A.  Osborne,  Major,  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel and  Colonel;  E.  S.  Marsh,  Major;  William  S. 
Barnes,  Adjutant;  Marcus  Hofflin,  Commissary;  Rev.  Robert 
B.  Anderson,  Chaplain;  John  G.  Young,  Sergeant-major;  Dr. 
J.  F.  Shaffner,  Surgeon;  Dr.  J.  M.  Hadley,  Assistant  Surgeon; 
Dr.  J.  W.  Guffy,  Hospital  Steward. 


COMPANY    OFFICERS    OF    THE    FOURTH    REGIMENT^AS 
ORIGINALLY    ORGANIZED. 

.  Company   A — Iredell    County — Captain,    A.    K.  Sirnonton; 

I         First  Lieutenant,  W.  L.  Davidson;  Second  Lieutenant,  W.  G. 
Falls;  Second  Lieutenant,  William  F.  McRorie. 

Company  B — Rowan  County — Captain,  James  H.  Wood; 
First  Lieutenant,  A.  C.  Watson;  Second  Lieutenant,  J.  F. 
Stancill;  Second  Lieutenant,  J.  R.  Harris. 

Company  C — Iredell  County — Captain,  John  B.  Andrews; 
First  Lieutenant,  James  Rufus  Reid;  Second  Lieutenant,  W.  A. 
Kerr;  Second  Lieutenant,  Joseph  C.  White. 

Company  D — Wayne  County — Captain,  J.  B.  Whittaker; 
First  Lieutenant,  Alexander  D.  Tumbro;  Second  Lieutenant, 
J.  J.  Bradley;  Second  Lieutenant,  R.  B.  Potts. 

Company  E — Beaufort  County — Captain,  David  M.  Carter; 
First  Lieutenant,  Thomas  L.  Perry;  Second  Lieutenant,  E.  J. 
Redding;  Second  Lieutenant,  Daniel  P.  Latham. 

Company  F — Wilson  County — Captain,  Jesse  S.  Barnes; 
First  Lieutenant,  J.  W.  Dunham;  Second  Lieutenant,  P.  N. 
Simms;  Second  Lieutenant,  Thomas  E.  Thompson. 

Company  G — Davie  County — Captain,  William  G.  Kelley; 
First  Lieutenant,  Samuel  A.  Kelley;  Second  Lieutenant,  Thomas 
J.  Brown;  Second  lieutenant,  Samuel  A.  Davis. 

Company  H — Iredell  County — Captain,  Edwin  Augustus 
Osborne;  First  Lieutenant,  John  Z.  Dalton;  Second  Lieutenant, 
Hal.  H.  Weaver;  Second  Lieutenant,  John  B.  Forcurn. 

Company  1— Beaufort  County — Captain,  W.  T.  Marsh;  First 
Lieutenant,  L.  R.  Creekman;  Second  Lieutenant,  Noah  B. 
Tuten;  Second  Lieutenant,  Bryan  S.  Bonner. 

Company  K — Rowan  County — Captain,  F.  Y.  McNeely; 
First  Lieutenant,  W.  C.  Coughenour;  Second  Lieutenant,  Mar- 
cus Hofflin;  Second  Lieutenant,  William  Brown. 

Promotions  in  Company  A  during  the  war — W.  L. 
Davidson  to  Captain,  W.  G.  Falls  to  Captain,  W.  F.  McRorie 
to  Captain,  W.  K.  Eliason  to  First  Lieutenant,  F.  A.  Carlton 
to  First  Lieutenant,  A.  S.  Fraley  to  Second  Lieutenant,  J.  Pink 


Cowan  to  Second  Lieutenant,  T.  M.  C.   Davidson  to  Second 
Lieutenant,  W.  R.  McNeely  to  Second  Lieutenant. 

Non-commissioned  Officers  in  Company  A— E.  F.  Mor- 
rison, W.  T.  J.  Harbin,  W.  L.  Shuford,  D.  A.  Doherty,  E.  C.         ; 
Rumple,  P.  A.  Shafer,  C.  D.  Murdock,  J.  A.  Stikeleather.  » 

Promotions  in  Company  B  during  the  war — J.  F. 
Stancill  to  Captain,  J.  H.  Hilliard  to  Captain,  T.  C.  Watson  to 
Captain,  J.  W.  Shinn  to  First  Lieutenant,  Joseph  Barber  to 
Second  Lieutenant,  Isaac  A.  Cowan  to  Captain,  James  P.  Burke 
to  Second  Lieutenant. 

Non-commissioned  Officers  in  Company  B — J.  W. 
Phifer,  E.  F.  Barber,  B.  Knox  Kerr,  Rufus  Mills,  M.  S.  Mc- 
Kenzie,  John  Hellers,  H.  C.  Miller,  William  A.  Burkhead,  D. 
W.  Steele,  B.  A.  Knox. 

Promotions  in  Company  C  during  the  war — Claudius 
S.  Alexander  to  Captain,  W.  A.  Kerr  to  Captain,  G.  A.  Andrews 
to  Captain,  T.  W.  Stephenson  to  First  Lieutenant,  J.  C.  White 
to  First  Lieutenant,  J.  A.  S.  Feimster  to  Second  Lieutenant,  S. 
A.  Clay  well  to  Second  Lieutenant,  John  C.  Turner. 

Non-commissioned  Officers  in  Company  C — James  A. 
Sommers,  J.  J.  Troutman,  S.  J.  Thomas,  A.  J.  Anderson,  J.  C. 
Norton,  D.  P.  Dobbin,  Edward  May,  John  C.  Turner,  A.  M. 
White,  J.  A.  Feimster,  F.  A.  Shuford,  R.  O.  Sinster. 

Promotions  in  Company  D  during  the  war — Alexander 
Tumbro  to  Captain,  M.  C.  Hazelle  to  Captain,  T.  G.  Lee  to 
Captain,  Lovett  Lewis  to  Captain,  R.  B.  Potts  to  First  Lieuten- 
ant, J.  B.  Griswold  to  Second  Lieutenant,  Cader  Parker  to  Second 
Lieutenant. 

Non-commissioned  Officers  in  Company  D — Robert  A. 
Best,  James  C.  Cotton,  M.  C.  Hazelle,  John  Holmes,  James 
Brewer,  George  Casey,  J.  J.  Ellis,  R.  W.  Hodgins,  Robert  Peel, 
J.  H.  Pearsall,  J.  R.  Williams,  J.  W.  Harrison,  D.  L.  Howell, 
J.  R.  Tumbro. 

Promotions  in  Company  E  during  the  war — D.  G. 
Latham  to  Captain,  T.  M.  Allen  to  Captain,  J.  H.  Carter  to 
Captain,  C.  K.  Gallagher  to  Captain,  E.  L.  Redding  to  Second 


Lieutenant,  S.  J.  Litchfield  to  First  Lieutenant,  M.  T.  William- 
son to  Second  Lieutenant. 

Non-commissioned  Officees  in  Company  E — J.  F. 
Lucas,  Joseph  Cutler,  Joseph  Whegget,  George  Litchfield,  S.  B. 
Whitley,  T.  E.  Petterton,  C.  E.  Perry. 

Promotions  in  Company  F  during  the  war — John  W. 
Dunham  to  Captain,  H.  M.  Warren  to  Captain,  T.  G.  Lee  to 
First  Lieutenant,  T.  F.  Thompson  to  Second  Lieutenant,  S.  Y. 
Parker  to  Second  Lieutenant,  W.  V.  Stevens  to  Second  Lieuten- 
ant, T.  B.  Stith  to  Second  Lieutenant,  J.  D.  Wells  to  Second 
Lieutenant. 

Non-commissioned  Officers  in  Company  F — W.  R. 
Hammell,  R.  B.  Lancaster,  W.  P.  Fitzgerald,  J.  B.  Farmer,  J. 
H.  Marshburn,  R.  H.  Watson,  W.  E.  Winstead,  W.  O.  Wootten, 
J.  L.  Burton,  J.  B.  Farmer. 

Promotions  in  Company  G  during  the  war — S.  A 
Kelley  to  Captain,  B.  J.  Smith  to  First  Lieutenant,  D.  J.  Cain  to 
First  Lieutenant,  D.  G.  Smoot  to  Second  Lieutenant,  C.  A. 
Guffy  to  Second  Lieutenant,  W.  B.  Jones  to  Second  Lieutenant. 

Non-commissioned  Officers  in  Company  G — R.  D. 
Brown,  B.  B.  Williams,  P.  P..  Haynes,  L.  S.  Millican,  C.  A. 
Guffy. 

Promotions  in  Company  H  during  the  war — John  B. 
Forcum  to  Captain,  A.  M.  D.  Kennedy  to  First  Lieutenant,  Julius 
A.  Summers  to  First  Lieutenant,  J.  B.  Stockton  to  Second  Lieu- 
tenant. 

Non-commissioned  Officers  in  Company  H — J.  M. 
Albea,  H.  H.  James,  S.  H.  Bobbit,  I.  P.  Maiden,  H.  P.  Wil- 
liams, T.  M.  Ball,  J.  A.  Holmes,  John  A.  Feimster,  Stark  Gra- 
ham, A.  L.  Summers,  John  Barnett. 

Promotions  in  Company  I  during  the  war — Edward 
S.  Marsh  to  Captain,  B.  T.  Bonner  to  First  Lieutenant,  N.  B. 
Tuten  to  Second  Lieutenant,  D.  C.  Styron  to  Second  Lieutenant, 
C.  A.  Watson  to  Second  Lieutenant,  Edward  Tripp  to  Second 
Lieutenant,  James  A.  Herrington  to  Second  Lieutenant. 

Non-commissioned  Officers  of  Company  I — C.  C.  Archi- 


6 

bald,  Charles  Tripp,  Zack  B.  Caraway,  B.  B.  Ross,  R.  R.  Tuten, 
Henry  L.  Clayton,  Charles  Tripp. 

Promotions  in  Company  K  during   the    war — W.  C. 
Cougheuour  to  Captain,  Marcus  Hofflin  to  Captain,  Moses  L. 
Bean  to  Captain,  William  Brown  to  Second  Lieutenant,  Hatuil-         J 
ton  Long  to  Second  Lieutenant,  A.  N.  Wiseman  to  Second  Lieu- 
tenant. 

Non-commissioned  Officers  of  Company  K — W.  C.  Fra- 
ley,  James  Bowers,  John  E.  Renter,  John  L.  Lyerly,  James 
Crawford. 

Number  of  Privates  in  the  Fourth  Regiment — Com- 
pany A,  153;  Company  B,  109;  Company  C,  170;  Company  D, 
98;;Company  E,  172;  Company  F,  109;  Company  G,  108;  Com- 
pany H,  246;  Company  I,  82;  Company  K,  129.     Total,  1,376. 

The  following  persons  composed  the  regimental  band,  which 
was  a  most  efficient  body  of  men,  always  at  the  post  of  duty, 
and  during  1864-'65  acting  as  litter-bearers  and  hospital  nurses 
in  time  of  engagements:  E.  B.  Neave,  Chief  Musician;  W.  R. 
Gorman,  John  Y.  Barber,  Thomas  Gillespie,  John  T.  Good- 
man, W.  A.  Moose,  J.  C.  Steel,  Nat.  Raymer,  Charles  Heyer, 

M.  J.  Weant,  Green  Austin,  — . Brawley,  E.  B.  Stinson, 

Patterson. 

The  regiment  was  ordered  to  leave  camp  Hill,  near  Garys- 
burg,  N.  C,  and  proceed  to  Richmond  Va.,  on  the  20th  of  July, 
1861,  where  we  remained  until  the  29th  of  July,  when  we  were 
sent  to  Manassas  Junction,  Va.,  arriving  there  some  days  after 
the  bloody  engagement  which  was  the  first  great  battle  of  the  war. 
Here  we  remained  doing  post  and  fatigue  duty  and  drilling  dur- 
ing the  summer  and  winter,  Colonel  Anderson  having  been  as- 
signed to  the  command  of  the  post. 

W'hile  at  Manassas  the  men  suffered  fearfully  with  sickness, 
and  many  valuable  young  men  succumbed  to  the  various  forms 
of  disease  that  assailed  us  there.  There  were  many  other  troops 
there,  and  almost  every  hour  in  the  day  the  funeral  dirge  could 
be  heard  and  the  firing  of  the  doleful  platoon  sounded  out  upon 
the  air  almost  continually,  reminding  us  that  death  was  busy  in 


the  camp;  and  almost  every  train  that  left  the  station  carried  the 
remains  of  some  soldier  boy  back  to  his  friends  at  home.  But 
when  the  winter  came  the  men  regained  their  health,  and  having 
become  inured  to  camp  life,  and  accustomed  to  taking  care  of 
themselves,  they  were  soon  in  fine  spirits.  In  fact,  when  we  left 
Manassas  Junction  on  the  8th  of  March,  1862,  they  had  the 
appearance  and  bearing  of  regular  troops,  and  were  in  a  measure 
prepared  for  the  terrible  ordeals  through  which  they  were  des- 
tined to  pass  in  the  course  of  the  next  few  months.  The  brigade 
was  now  composed  of  the  Forty-ninth  Virginia,  the  Twenty- 
seventh  and  Twenty-eighth  Georgia,  and  the  Fourth  North 
Carolina  Regiments,  and  was  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
Anderson,  and  the  regiment  in  command  of  Major  Grimes,  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Young  having  been  sent  to  Richmond  to  attend 
to  business  connected  with  the  command.  After  a  march  of 
several  days,  we  went  into  camp  at  Clark's  Mountain,  near 
Orange  Court  House  and  about  three  miles  from  the  Rapidan 
River.  Here  we  remained  until  the  8th  of  April,  when  we  were 
ordered  to  Yorktown.  At  this  place  we  had  our  first  experience 
in  contact  with  the  enemy — doing  picket  duty  and  having  some 
skirmishes  with  his  pickets.  We  also  were  subjected  to  the 
fire  of  their  gun-boats  on  the  river. 

THE    BATTLE    OF    WILLIAMSBURG. 

On  the  night  of  the  4th  of  May,  1862,  Yorktown  was  evacu- 
ated. Major  Grimes  was  now  in  charge  of  the  picket-line,  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Young  in  command  of  the  regiment,  and  Colonel 
Anderson  still  in  command  of  the  brigade.  Major  Grimes  held 
the  picket-line  until  the  troops  had  gotten  under  way,  and  then, 
about  daylight,  he  withdrew  and  joined  the  regiment  about  noon. 
The  next  day  the  enemy  attacked  the  Confederate  forces  at 
Williamsburg.  Our  brigade  had  passed  through  the  town,  but 
upon  hearing  the  firiug  in  the  rear,  we  quickly  faced  about  and 
marched  in  the  direction  of  the  engagement.  The  rain  was  pour- 
ing and  the  streets  of  the  town  covered  with  mud.  The  doors, 
yards  and  balconies  were  crowded  with  women  and  children 


wild  with  excitement,  waving  handkerchiefs  and  banners,  and 
urging  us  on  to  the  conflict.  We  passed  a  number  of  wounded 
men,  some  streaming  with  blood  and  pale  with  exhaustion,  be- 
ing borne  upon  litters  or  supported  by  comrades.  The  excite- 
ment and  enthusiasm  of  the  mem  became  intense.  The  air  rang 
with  shouts  as  we  pressed  forward,  eager  for  the  fray.  We 
marched  directly  to  the  field  of  battle  and  were  formed  in  line. 
The  air  was  alive  with  the  roar  of  artillery  and  musketry  and 
the  shouts  and  shrieks  of  men,  some  in  tones  of  triumph  and 
others  in  cries  of  pain.  The  balls  flew  thick  around  us,  and  a 
few  of  our  men  were  wounded;  but  we  were  not  actively  en- 
gaged. The  day  was  far  spent,  and  the  mists  of  night  soon 
gathered  over  the  field  and  put  an  end  to  the  strife.  We  passed 
the  night  on  the  field,  wet  and  faint  with  hunger  and  fatigue. 
The  night  was  cold;  no  fires  were  allowed,  and  the  men  suffered 
greatly.  Some  would  have  died  if  they  had  not  kept  in  motion 
by  stamping,  marking  time,  or  crowding  together  in  groups  to 
keep  each  other  warm. 

This  was  the  5th  of  May;  a  day  long  to  be  remembered  as  the 
first  actual  experience  we  had  on  the  field  of  battle,  and  wit- 
nessed the  dire  results  of  war.  All  night  long  we  could  hear 
the  cries  aud  groans  of  some  wounded  men  in  our  front,  and  an 
occasional  shot  from  the  picket-line  told  of  the  presence  of  the 
foe,  which  would  not  permit  them  to  be  taken  care  of. 

The  next  day  we  resumed  the  line  of  march  towards  Rich- 
mond. The  roads  were  muddy  from  the  rains  and  stirred  up 
by  the  artillery  and  baggage  trains.  The  men  literally  waded 
almost  knee- deep  in  mud  most  of  the  day.  Their  rations  were 
exhausted,  and  that  night  each  man  received  an  ear  of  hard  corn 
for  his  supper;  but  not  a  murmur  did  I  hear.  The  boys  parched 
their  corn  and  ate  it  with  the  best  grace  they  could  command, 
and  were  glad  to  rest  quietly  for  the  night.  The  next  day  we 
were  supplied  with  rations. 

On  the  13th  of  May  we  came  to  the  Chickahorainy  River, 
where  we  remained  until  the  battle  of  Seven  Pines,  or  Fair 
Oaks. 


THE    BATTLE    OF    SEVEN    PINES,    OR    FAIR   OAKS. 

The  day  before  this  bloody  engagement  was  hot  and  sultry. 
The  regiment  was  kept  under  arms  all  day,  and  frequently  changed 
its  position  as  if  expecting  an  engagement.  About  sunset  we 
went  into  bivouac  and  were  ordered  to  prepare  rations  for  the 
next  day.  The  men  were  stirring  until  late  at  night,  and  then, 
tired  and  jaded,  they  sought  repose.  But  soon  a  most  terrible 
thunder-storm  came  down  upon  us.  It  seemed  as  if  heaven  and 
earth  were  being  torn  to  pieces,  while  the  rain  came  down  in 
torrents  upon  the  men,  who  were  poorly  sheltered,  some  with 
little  fly  tents  and  many  with  only  a  single  blanket  on  a  pole 
instead  of  a  tent.  But  towards  morning  the  storm  passed  away, 
leaving  the  air  cool  and  bracing;  and  the  men  slept.  The  31st 
was  a  lovely  May  morning,  and  the  sun  rose  bright  and  clear. 
The  men  were  full  of  life  and  the  woods  resounded  with  their 
voices  and  movements.  Breakfast  was  soon  dispatched  and  the 
order  to  "fall  in"  was  given. 

The  regiment  was  in  fine  condition.  Twenty-five  commissioned 
officers  and  five  hundred  and  twenty  men  and  non-commissioned 
officers  reported  for  duty  on  the  morning  of  the  31st  of  May, 
1862  ;  and  as  they  filed  out  and  moved  off  toward  the  battlefield 
of  Seven  Pines  they  presented  a  splendid  picture  of  manhood, 
energy  and  courage.  The  brigade  was  still  under  command  of 
Colonel  Anderson,  the  regiment  under  Major  Grimes,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  J.  A.  Young  having  been  sent  home  on  special  duty. 
Early  in  the  afternoon  we  were  drawn  up  in  front  of  the  enemy's 
works  near  the  Williamsburg  road,  under  cover  of  a  heavy  forest, 
within  one-fourth  of  a  mile  of  the  enemy's  batteries  and  redoubts. 
A  formidable  abatis,  formed  by  felling  a  dense  grove  of  old  field 
pines  and  cutting  the  limbs  partly  off  so  as  to  form  obstructions 
to  our  approach,  lay  between  us  and  the  enemy's  works.  The 
ground  was  also  covered  with  water  in  many  places — from  six 
inches  to  waist-deep.  The  Fourth  Regiment  was  to  the  left  of 
the  stage  road,  the  right  being  near  the  road,  which  ran  diagonally 
across  our  front,  crossing  the  enemy's  line  a  little  to  the  left  of 
the  front  of  the  Fourth  Regiment.     A  very  heavy  redoubt  was 


10 

in  front  of  us,  bristling  with  artillery  supported  by  a  mass  of 
infantry  and  flanked  on  either  side  by  extensive  earth-works 
filled  with  men  supported  by  artillery.  We  had  not  been  in 
this  position  but  a  few  minutes  when  the  enemy  opened  on  us 
with  his  artillery.  A  fearful  storm  of  shot,  shell,  grape  and 
canister  tore  through  the  trees,  plowing  up  the  ground  on  every 
side  and  cutting  down  the  branches  and  saplings  around  us. 
Soon  the  order  was  passed  along  the  line  to  move  forward.  The 
men  sprang  to  their  feet  without  a  word  and  advanced  to  the 
assault.  For  many  rods  we  made  our  way  through  the  obstruc- 
tions above  mentioned,  under  a  terrible  fire  of  musketry  and 
artillery,  which  we  could  not  return  with  any  effect  on  account 
of  the  confusion  into  which  we  were  thrown  by  the  obstructions 
and  the  great  difficulty  of  getting  over  them.  Heavy  musketry 
on  the  right  indicated  that  the  battle  was  raging  there  with  ter- 
rible fury.  Onward  moved  our  devoted  men,  until  at  last  the 
open  field  was  reached  within  one  hundred  yards  of  the  enemy's 
works.  The  men  quickly  resumed  their  places  in  line  of  battle 
and  opened  fire  upon  the  enemy  with  such  deadly  effect  as  to 
cause  a  momentary  lull  iu  the  storm  of  deadly  missiles  that  were 
assailing  us.  But  again  the  enemy  renewed  his  fire  with  redoubled 
fury.  Our  line  moved  on  to  within  fifty  or  sixty  yards  of  the 
enemy's  works.  The  men  were  falling  rapidly.  We  halted  near 
a  zigzag  fence  to  await  support  on  the  right,  which  had  failed  to 
come  up.  The  enemy's  fire  continued  with  unabated  fury,  and 
it  was  evident  that  the  regiment  could  not  remain  there  without 
being  utterly  destroyed.  The  writer  of  this  narrative  looked 
around  for  a  field  officer.  Major  Grimes  was  near,  sitting  calmly 
on  his  iron-gray  horse,  with  one  leg  thrown  over  the  saddle  bow, 
as  afterwards  so  often  seen  on  the  battlefield.  I  seized  his  leg  to 
attract  his  attention.  He  leaned  toward  me  with  his  ear  near  my 
face  to  hear  what  I  had  to  say.  "Major,"  I  shouted,  "  we  can't 
stand  this.  Let  us  charge  the  works."  "All  right,"  said  the 
Major,  "Charge  them!  Charge  them!"  I  rushed  back  to  the 
front  of  my  company,  leaped  over  the  fence,  and  waved  them 
forward  with  hat  and  sword.     My  company,  H,  rushed  forward, 


11 


and  the  whole  regiment  instinctively  moved  with  them,  yelling 
and  firing  as  they  advanced.  In  front  of  our  left  was  a  field 
battery  which  was  instantly  silenced,  also  the  heavy  battery  in 
front  of  our  centre  and  right.  On  we  rushed  with  such  impetuos- 
ity and  determination  that  the  enemy  abandoned  everything  and 
retired.  We  captured  the  works  and  six  pieces  of  artillery. 
But  again  we  had  to  halt  to  await  necessary  support  on  the  right 
and  left.  The  writer  of  this  sketch  was  wounded  at  this  point 
within  a  few  rods  of  the  breastworks.  After  the  works  were 
captured  in  the  first  assault  the  line  retired  to  the  fence  from 
which  we  had  made  the  charge,  to  await  re-inforcements,  which 
arrived  in  a  few  minutes,  when  the  whole  line  advanced  and 
drove  the  enemy  entirely  away. 

When  the  second  charge  was  ordered  the  regiment  passed  over 
the  same  ground  over  which  they  had  charged  but  a  little  while 
before.  It  was  appalling  to  see  how  much  the  line  had  been 
reduced  in  numbers.  The  heavy,  compact,  orderly  line  of  half 
an  hour  previous  was  now  scarcely  more  than  a  line  of  'skirmish- 
ers, but  they  moved  with  the  same  boldness  and  determination 
as  before.  The  ground  was  literally  covered  with  the  bodies  of 
their  dead  and  wounded  comrades,  yet  they  moved  steadily  for- 
ward, directing  their  fire  with  telling  effect  until  within  a  few 
paces  of  the  fortifications,  when  the  enemy  again  retired  from  his 
works. 

Of  the  twenty-five  commissioned  officers  and  six  hundred  and 
fifty-three  men  and  non-commissioned  officers  every  officer  except 
Major  Grimes  was  killed,  wounded  or  disabled,  while  of  the  men 
seventy-four  were  killed  and  two  hundred  and  sixty-five  were 
wounded.  Major  Grimes  had  a  horse  killed  under  him  in  the 
charge.  His  foot  was  caught  under  the  horse,  and  it  was  with  much 
difficulty  that  he  was  extricated  from  his  helpless  condition.  While 
on  the  ground  and  unable  to  rise,  he  waved  his  sword  and  shouted : 
"Goon,  boys!  Goon!"  Upon  regaining  his  feet  he  saw  that 
his  color-bearerj  James  Bonner,  of  Company  K,  was  killed,  when 
he  seized  the  flag  himself  and  rushed  forward,  waving  his  men 
on  to  the  charge.     After  the  works  were  captured  John  A.  Stike- 


12 


leather,  of  Company  A,  asked  to  be  allowed  to  carry  the  flag ; 
and  from  that  day  to  the  close  of  the  war,  except  when  necessarily 
absent  for  a  short  time,  he  bravely  bore  the  regimental  colors. 

A  few  minutes  after  the  enemy  was  driven  from  his  works 
he  began  to  rally  in  rear  of  his  tents.  Major  Grimes  ordered 
his  regiment  into  a  piece  of  woodland  near  by,  and  opened  fire 
upon  him.  In  moving  at  double-quick  across  the  open  field, 
to  seek  the  cover  of  the  woods,  he  discovered  that  the  enemy 
was  throwing  up  breastworks  on  his  right.  He  charged,  driv- 
ing him  away  and  taking  a  number  of  prisoners.  The  night 
was  spent  upon  the  field.  The  men  being  worn  out,  were  glad 
to  stretch  themselves  upon  the  ground  and  rest,  surrounded,  as 
they  were,  by  dead  and  wounded  men  and  animals,  while  the  air 
was  filled  with  cries  and  groans  of  the  wounded  and  dying. 

The  conduct  of  the  officers  and  men  in  this  notable  conflict 
was  splendid  beyond  description.  Their  coolness  and  delibera- 
tion in  making  their  way  through  the  abatis,  under  the  most 
galling  fire  at  short  range  ;  the  firmness  and  calmness  with  which 
they  reformed  their  weakened  and  disordered  line  and  awaited 
orders  in  the  open  field  within  seventy-five  yards  of  the  enemy's 
works,  under  the  same  awful  and  destructive  fire;  the  coolness 
and  precision  with  which  they  delivered  their  fire  under  all  these 
trying  conditions;  the  irresistible  firmness  and  determination 
with  which  they  made  that  wonderful  and  heroic  charge  in  the 
very  jaws  of  death;  the  calmness  and  sullenness  with  which  they 
retired  when  the  danger  of  being  flanked  was  apparent,  and  the 
grim  and  unwavering  determination  with  which  they  returned 
to  the  second  charge  and  continued  to  fight,  all  displayed  a 
spirit  of  courage  and  manliness  worthy  of  any  men  the  world 
has  ever  produced.  It  would  be  a  privilege  to  record  the  list  of 
the  gallant  men  who  fell  in  this  fight,  but  time  and  space  for- 
bids1. Their  names  may  not  be  known  to  history  or  to  fame,  but 
their  comrades  knew  them  and  loved  them.  We  believe  the 
world  is  better  and  humanity  is  honored  and  ennobled  by  the 
lives  of  such  men,  and  that  both  are  the  poorer  by  their  un- 
timely loss. 


13 


The  figures  in  regard  to  the  number  of  the  men  engaged  and 
of  those  killed  and  disabled  are  taken  from  Colonel  G.  B. 
Anderson's  official  report  of  the  battle.  In  all  this  carnage 
these  heroic  men  never  for  an  instant  wavered  or  showed 
the  slightest  trepidation.  It  was  as  if  some  superhuman  spirit 
had  been  infused  into  them,  and  nothing  but  death  itself 
could  stop  them.  The  writer  shall  never  forget  his  feelings 
as  he  lay  upon  that  bloody  field  wounded  and  helpless,  and 
saw  those  brave  men  pressing  on  in  the  face  of  that  death- 
dealing  fire.  On  they  went,  their  ranks  growing  thinner  and 
thinner,  until  within  a  few  paces  of  the  enemy's  works,  be- 
hind which  masses  of  bayonets  were  gleaming.  Surely  they  will 
all  be  made  prisoners.  But  no.  The  forest  of  gleaming  steel 
begins  to  waver,  and  then  to  move  away  in  confusion;  and  the 
works  are  ours !  Three  color-bearers  were  among  the  killed, 
and  Major  Grimes  then  took  the  flag  and  carried  it  through  the 
remainder  of  the  fight. 

It  may  be  proper  to  say  a  word  in  regard  to  the  absence  of 
Lieutenant-Colonel  John  A.  Young  from  the  regiment  at  this 
battle  and  thereafter.  He  had  been  for  some  time  before  the 
war,  and  at  its  beginning,  a  manufacturer  of  woolen  cloth;  and 
had  been  sent  home  to  procure  clothing  for  the  men  of  the  regi- 
ment, which  he  abundantly  supplied.  Colonel  Young  was  also 
afflicted  with  a  distressing  and  incurable  disease,  which  rendered 
him  unfit  for  active  military  service.  This  was  a  great  sorrow 
to  him,  as  he  was  a  devoted  patriot  and  naturally  of  a  military 
spirit.  But  being  assured  that  he  could  serve  his  country  more 
effectually  at  home  than  in  the  army,  he  at  the  earnest  request  of 
Governor  Vance,  as  well  as  of  friends  in  the  army  and  at  home, 
resigned  his  commission  and  devoted  himself  to  manufacturing 
clothing  for  the  soldiers.  This  he  did  at  much  pecuniary  sacri- 
fice to  himself,  insomuch  that  the  close  of  the  war  found  him 
almost  a  bankrupt  in  estate.  He  devoted  himself  specially  to 
supplying  the  wants  of  the  Fourth  Regiment,  at  one  time  sup- 
plying every  member  in  the  regiment  with  a  uniform  and  cap  at 
his  own  individual  cost,  and  his  enterprise,  industry  and  munifi- 


14 

cence  contributed  greatly  to  the  comfort  and  welfare  of  North 
Carolina  soldiers  generally. 

After  the  battle  of  Seven  Pines,  until  the  26th  of  June,  we 
were  mainly  occupied  in  resting,  drilling  and  recruiting  the 
regiment.  j 

THE    BATTLE    OF    MECHANICSVILLE. 

On  the  26th  of  June  we  crossed  the  Chickahominy  River  and 
joined  the  troops  about  to  engage  in  the  battle  of  Mechanicsville. 
Soon  the  regiment  was  under  heavy  fire,  which  lasted  for  several 
hours,  in  that  most  trying  of  all  positions,  supporting  other 
troops  who  were  actively  engaged  in  battle.  There  was  a  bat- 
tery in  front  of  us  doing  great  damage  to  our  troops.  General 
D.  H.  Hill  ordered  Major  Grimes  to  charge  this  battery  with 
his  regiment,  the  Fourth.  Major  Grimes  informed  him  that  he 
had  only  a  mere  skeletou  of  a  regiment,  and  that  the  attempt 
would  be  futile,  as  there  were  not  more  than  one  hundred  and 
fifty  men  and  officers  for  duty.  The  General  then  ordered  him 
to  hold  himself  in  readiness  to  make  the  charge  in  case  others 
who  had  been  ordered  forward  should  fail  to  take  the  battery. 
The  charge  was  made  by  the  other  troops  and  the  enemy  driver^ 
away.     We  then  resumed  our  position  on  the  right  of  the  brigade. 

COLD    HAEBOB. 

For  some  time  the  enemy  seemed  to  be  retiring  before  us. 
After  a  great  deal  of  marching  and  manoeuvering,  we  came  within 
sight  of  the  retreating  foe.  The  men  raised  a  shout  and  set 
out  at  double-quick  in  pursuit.  Major  Grimes  took  the  flag  and 
rode  forward,  leading  the  charge,  the  men  following  in  good 
order.  Suddenly  a  volley  from  the  enemy's  guns  admonished  us 
that  there  was  serious  work  at  hand.  Hitherto  we  had  been 
moving  in  column.  Line  of  battle  was  quickly  formed.  The 
brigade  recoiled  for  a  moment,  but  soon  recovered,  and  stood 
their  ground  like  men.  The  firing  of  musketry  in  our  front 
was  very  heavy  and  incessant.  We  were  ordered  to  change  our 
position  to  a  piece  of  woodland  on  the  left,  where  we  remained 


15 


for  some  time,  while  the  battle  raged  with  fury  in  our  front  and 
on  our  right.  We  were  then  ordered  forward  in  line  of  battle 
across  an  open  field,  after  crossing  which  we  passed  through  a 
piece  of  woods,  when  suddenly  we  encountered  a  line  of  battle 
concealed  in  the  underwood  in  front  of  us.  They  opened  fire 
on  us.  Our  line  halted  and  poured  a  volley  into  their  ranks. 
Volley  after  volley  followed  as  our  men  steadily  advanced.  Soon 
the  enemy  gave  way.  We  now  had  a  little  time  to  rest  and  reform 
our  line.  Soon  we  heard  heavy  firing  in  front  and  to  the  right, 
when  it  was  discovered  that  some  of  our  troops  were  pressing 
down  upon  the  enemy's  left.  In  front  of  us  was  an  open  field 
with  a  ridge  extending  across  parallel  with  our  line,  towards 
which  we  advanced.  On  reaching  the  top  of  the  ridge  the  enemy 
was  seen  lying  in  an  old  road,  seeking  shelter  behind  its  banks 
and  other  objects  that  afforded  him  protection.  The  order 
was  given  to  charge,  and  the  men  responded  with. a  shout,  rush- 
ing across  the  field  in  the  face  of  a  furious  fire.  The  scene  was 
terrific  beyond  description.  The  yells  of  our  men,  the  roar  of 
musketry,  the  thunder  of  artillery,  the  shrieks  of  the  wounded 
and  dying,  the  screaming  of  shells,  with  the  loud  commands  of 
the  officers,  all  combined  to  excite  and  stimulate  the  men,  who 
rushed  across  the  field,  closing  up  their  ranks  as  their  comrades 
fell,  cut  down  by  the  enemy's  fire,  who  held  their  ground  stub- 
bornly until  we  were  almost  near  enough  to  cross  bayonets  with 
him,  when  he  gave  way  and  fled  in  confusion.  It  was  now 
night,  and  the  men,  exhausted  with  the  terrible  efforts  of  the  day, 
were  glad  to  unroll  their  blankets  and  rest  upon  the  ground. 

Such  was  the  part  borne  by  the  Fourth  Regiment  in  the  battle 
of  Cold  Harbor.  We  lost  heavily  in  proportion  to  our  numbers. 
Of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  eight  were  killed  and  fifty  wound- 
ed. Among  the  wounded  was  the  brave  and  faithful  soldier, 
Captain  John  B.  Andrews,  who  died  afterwards  from  his  wounds. 
Colonel  Grimes  had  a  horse  killed  under  him,  and  led  his  men 
on  foot  until  another  was  captured,  which  he  rode  the  balance  of 
the  day.  John  A.  Stikeleather,  our  color-bearer,  acted  with  such 
coolness  and  bravery  as  to  elicit  the  public  commendation  of  the 


16 

regimental  commander.  Many  instances  of  individual  bravery 
might  be  mentioned  if  time  and  space  would  permit.  Among 
the  killed  in  this  battle  was  the  brave  and  gallant  Captain  Blount, 
who,  though  Quartermaster  of  the  regiment,  and  not  bound  to  j 
go  into  danger,  was  acting  as  volunteer  aid  to  General  Anderson  / 
that  day,  and  was  shot  while  carrying  the  flag  of  one  of  the 
regiments. 

Major  Grimes  was  made  Colonel  of  the  regiment,  Captain 
Carter  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  Captain  James  H.  Wood,  Major. 
Colonel  Carter's  wound  disabled  him  to  such  an  extent  that  he 
was  retired  to  light  duty,  and  Major  Wood  was  made  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  in  his  place  and  Captain  Osborne  promoted  to  Major. 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Wood's  wound  was  also  of  a  very  stubborn 
character,  and  rendered  it  necessary  for  him  to  be  put  upon  light 
duty  for  many  months. 

The  regiment  participated  in  other  movements  of  the  army 
around  Richmond,  engaging  in  various  skirmishes  during  the 
memorable  campaign  of  the  seven  days'  fight.  Together  with 
the  Fifth  North  Carolina  Regiment  it  was  detailed  to  bury  the 
dead  and  both  thus  escaped  the  disastrous  assault  at  Malvern 
Hill  on  the  2d  of  July.  The  brigade  was  reorganized  so  as  to 
consist  of  the  Second,  Fourteenth,  Thirtieth  and  Fourth  North 
Carolina  Regiments,  and  with  the  rest  of  Lee's  army  moved  into 
Maryland,  passing  over  the  battlefield  known  as  Second  Manas- 
sas, crossing  the  Potomac  near  Leesburg.  We  encamped  near 
Frederick  City,  and  thence,  crossing  the  Blue  Ridge,  encamped 
near  Boonsboro. 

BOONSBORO. 

On  the  14th  of  September  we  took  part  in  what  is  known 
as  the  battle  of  Boonsboro,  or  South  Mountain.  We  had 
marched  a  few  miles  beyond  the  mountain  pass,  where  we 
spent  the  night  of  the  13th  of  September  in  camp.  Early 
on  the  morning  of  the  14th  we  were  ordered  back  to  the  pass  at 
double-quick.  Soon  we  heard  cannonading  and  musketry,  indi- 
cating that  a  battle  was  in   progress.     When  we  reached  the 


17 


summit  of  the  mountain  we  found  the  enemy  in  heavy  force 
pressing  our  men.  The  brigade  under  General  Anderson  was 
divided,  he  taking  the  Fourteenth  and  Thirtieth  North  Carolina 
Regiments  to  the  left,  or  north  of  the  pass,  and  directing  Colonel 
Tew  to  take  the  Second  anJ  Fourth  to  the  south  of  the  road,  or 
to  the  right,  facing  Frederick  City.  Filing  some  half  mile  to 
the  right,  we  formed  line  of  battle  and  moved  in  the  direction  of 
the  firing ;  but  when  we  approached  the  scene  of  action  the  firing 
ceased,  and  we  found  that  the  enemy  had  been  repulsed  by  Gen- 
eral Garland's  Brigade,  but  at  the  cost  of  the  life  of  that  gallant 
and  faithful  soldier,  whose  lifeless  form  was  borne  past  us  before 
we  reached  the  scene  of  action.  We  then  took  position  on  the 
brow  of  the  ridge.  While  in  this  position  the  writer  heard  firing 
in  front  of  our  line,  and  started  to  make  a  reconnaissance  to  ascer- 
tain the  cause.  He  cautiously  crossed  the  stone  fence  behind 
which  we  lay  and  started  to  follow  a  wooden  fence  joining  it  at 
a  right  angle,  when  a  shower  of  bullets  clattered  against  the  stone 
fence,  admonishing  him  that  his  movements  were  being  closely 
observed  by  deadly  foes.  He  quickly  sought  shelter  behind  the 
wall  from  which  he  had  ventured,  satisfied  with  his  advanture, 
and  thankful  to  escape  unhurt.  The  regiment  was  then  ordered 
to  make  a  reconnaissance  to  the  front  and  right,  through  the 
woods.  Company  H,  under  command  of  Captain  Osborne,  was 
deployed  as  skirmishers,  with  instructions  to  move  slowly  and 
silently  through  the  thick  forest  and  dense  underwood  in  front 
of  the  regiment.  Our  progress  was  necessarily  very  slow,  as  the 
woods  were  very  dense  and  the  ground  very  rugged  and  moun- 
tainous. We  moved  toward  the  south  and  swung  around 
gradually  toward  the  east,  marching  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile, 
when  we  discovered  a  heavy  force  of  the  enemy  in  a  field  on  the 
crest  of  the  ridge,  with  a  battery  of  field  artillery.  I  at  once 
reported  this  fact  to  General  Anderson,  who  had  now  come  up 
with  the  regiment,  and  quickly  returned  to  the  front,  and  was 
surprised  to  find  the  whole  force  of  the  enemy  moving  down  upon 
us  in  line  of  battle.  They  opened  upon  us  a  heavy  fire.  Our 
men  received  them  firmly,  returning  their  fire  with  spirit.  We 
2 


18 

had  the  advantage  of  shelter  in  the  dense  woods,  while  the  enemy 
was  in  the  open  field,  and  must  have  suffered  severely;  but  soon 
night  drew  on  and  put  a  stop  to  the  engagement.  We  then 
returned  to  the  road  from  whence  we  had  started  early  in  the 
afternoon.  Thus  ended  one  of  the  most  trying  and,  in  some 
respects,  one  of  the  most  splendid  days  of  the  war.  General  D. 
H.  Hill  had"  with  the  small  force  of  about  five  or  six  thousand 
men  baffled  and  held  in  check  all  day  long  a  force  of  probably 
ten  times  as  many  men,  and  enabled  General  Lee  to  get  his 
forces  together  at  Sharpsburg.  The  men  bore  themselves  with 
much  coolness  and  courage  throughout  the  entire  day.  Our  loss 
in  killed  and  wounded  was  small,  but  among  them  some  of  our 
best  men.  At  night  the  army  was  withdrawn  and  moved  to  the 
vicinity  of  Sharpsburg,  where  we  arrived  at  11  o'clock  on  the 
15th  and  remained  in  line  of  battle  most  of  the  time  until  the 
morning  of  the  17th.  The  regiment  was  now  under  command 
of  Captain  W.  T.  Marsh,  Colonel  Grimes  having  been  com- 
pelled to  retire  from  the  field  on  account  of  an  injury  received 
on  the  morning  of  the  14th  at  Boonsboro. 

SHARPSBURG,    OR    ANTIETAM. 

Wednesday,  the  17th  of  September,  1862,  was  a  day  that  will 
go  down  in  history  as  having  witnessed  one  of  the  great  battles 
of  the  war.  Anderson's  Brigade  had  been  on  the  right  of  the 
division  from  the  14th  until  the  morning  of  the  17th,  when  it 
was  moved  to  the  old  road,  afterwards  known  as  the  "Bloody 
Lane."  The  Fourth  Regiment  was  commanded  by  Captain 
Marsh,  the  Second  by  Colonel  Tew,  the  Thirtieth  by  Colonel 
Parker,  the  Fourteenth  by  Colonel  Bennett,  the  brigade  by 
General  George  B.  Anderson,  General  D.  H.  Hill  having  com- 
mand of  the  division.  The  Thirtieth  was  on  the  right  of  the 
brigade,  the  Fourth  next,  then  the  Fourteenth,  and  the  Second 
was  on  the  left.  About  an  hour  after  sunrise  the  enemy  came 
in  sight  and  began  the  attack  at  once.  Anderson's  Brigade  was 
partially  protected  by  the  bank  of  the  old  road  above  mentioned, 
which  ran  parallel  with  the  line  of  battle  in  rear  of  the  crest  of 


19 

a  ridge  which  concealed  our  men  from  the  enemy's  sight  until 
they  were  within  seventy-five  or  eighty  yards  of  us. 

About  nioe  o'clock  the  enemy's  line  of  battle  appeared,  mov- 
ing in  magnificent  style,  with  mounted  officers  in  full  uuiform, 
swords  gleaming,  banners,  plumes  and  sashes  waving,  and  bayo- 
nets glistening  in  the  sun.  On  they  came  with  steady  tramp 
and  confident  mien.  They  did  not  see  our  single  line  of  hungry, 
jaded  and  dusty  men,  who  were  lying  down,  until  within  good 
musket  shot,  when  we  rose  and  delivered  our  fire  with  terrible 
effect.  Instantly  the  air  was  filled  with  the  cries  of  wounded 
and  dying  and  the  shouts  of  brave  officers,  trying  to  hold  and 
encourage  their  men,  who  recoiled  at  the  awful  and  stunning 
shock  so  unexpectedly  received.  Soon  they  rallied  and  advanced 
again;  this  time  more  cautiously  than  before.  Our  men  held 
their  fire  until  they  were  within  good  range  again,  and  again  they 
rose  to  their  feet  and  mowed  them  down,  so  that  they  were  com- 
pelled to  retire  a  second  time;  but  they  rallied  and  came  again, 
and  the  battle  now  became  general  all  along  the  line.  The  roar 
of  musketry  was  incessant  and  the  booming  of  cannon  almost 
without  intermission.  Occasionally  the  shouts  of  men  could  be 
heard  above  the  awful  din,  indicating  a  charge  or  some  advantage 
gained  by  one  side  or  the  other.  Horses  without  riders  were 
rushing  across  the  field,  occasionally  a  section  of  artillery  eould 
be  seen  flying  from  one  point  to  another,  seeking  shelter  from 
some  murderous  assault,  or  securing  a  more  commanding  posi- 
tion. Soon  Captain  Marsh  was  mortally  wounded  and  borne 
from  the  field.  The  command  of  the  regiment  then  devolved 
upon  Captain  Osborne,  who  in  turn  was  wounded  and  borne 
from  the  field.  One  by  one  the  other  company  officers  fell, 
either  killed  or  wounded,  until  Second  Lieutenant  Weaver,  of 
Company  H,  was  in  command  of  the  handful  of  men  who  were 
left,  and  then  he  was  killed  bearing  the  colors  of  the  regiment 
in  his  hand.  The  regiment  was  left  without  a  commissioned 
officer;  but  the  men  needed  none,  except  for  general  purposes. 
There  were  not  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  for  duty, 
every  one  of  whom  seemed  to  realize  his  own  value,  and  to  act 


20 

with  that  cool  and  determined  courage  which  showed  that  he 
understood  the  emergency,  and  was  determined  to  do  his  best* 
All  day  long  the  battle  raged  with  almost  unabated  fury  and 
with  varying  results,  sometimes  one  side  gaining  the  advantage 
and  then  the  other. 

As  the  day  wore  away  the  contest  seemed  to  gather  new  force. 
The  enemy  renewed  their  efforts  to  gain  what  they  had  failed  to 
achieve  during  the  day,  while  the  Confederates  were  equally 
determined  to  defeat  their  aims.  The  flower  of  the  two  great 
armies  had  met  in  open  field,  and  neither  was  willing  to  leave 
the  other  in  possession.  The  Northern  troops  displayed  wonder- 
ful courage  and  obstinancy  during  the  entire  day,  while  our  men 
held  their  ground  with  equal  courage  and  determination.  Gen- 
eral Anderson  and  Colonel  Parker  were  wounded.  Colonel  Tew 
was  killed,  and  Colonel  Bennett  had  command  of  the  brigade. 
The  men  of  different  regiments  became  mixed  with  each  other 
so  that  all  distinct  organization  of  regiments  was  broken  up,  and 
all  identity  lost — still  the  men  maintained  their  positions  in  line, 
and  fought  like  heroes.  General  Hill  was  with  his  men  all  day 
long,  encouraging  and  cheering  them  by  his  presence  and  by  his 
cool  and  fearless  bearing.  On  two  occasions  the  enemy  approach- 
ed to  within  about  thirty  yards  of  our  line,  but  each  time  they 
were  forced  to  retire. 

Late  in  the  day  the  enemy  forced  his  way  beyond  the  right  of 
the  brigade,  and  Colonel  Bennett  found  it  necessary  to  retire  from 
the  "Bloody  Lane."  This  he  did  in  good  order,  and  in  doing 
so  passed  within  sixty  yards  of  the  right  flank  of  the  enemy's 
line;  but  they  were  so  hotly  engaged  with  one  of  our  lines  in 
front  that  they  did  not  observe  the  Colonel's  movement  until  he 
had  extricated  his  men  from  their  dangerous  position,  and  passed 
some  distance  to  the  enemy's  front  and  left.  Finding  a  piece  of 
artillery  which  had  been  abandoned,  the  Colonel  manned  it  and 
opened  fire  upon  the  enemy's  line.  Captains  Harney  and  Beall 
with  Sergeant  P.  D.  Weaver,  all  of  the  Fourteenth,  were 
the  men  who  manned  the  gun.  In  this  movement  the  Fourth 
Regiment  lost  a  number  of  men  from  companies  I  and  K,  on 


21 


the  left,  who  were  taken  prisoners:  being  separated  from  the 
right  by  a  little  hillock,  they  did  not  know  the  retreat  had  taken 
place  until  they  were  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  This  new 
position  was  held  during  the  rest  of  the  day.  The  command 
remained  on  the  field  until  night,  when  the  battle  ended.  They 
then  bivouacked  in  a  grove  near  by. 

The  next  day  the  brigade  was  commanded  by  Major  Collins, 
Colonel  Bennett  having  been  disabled.  The  Fourth  Regiment 
was  commanded  by  Orderly  Sergeant  Thomas  W.  Stephenson,  of 
Company  C.  General  Hill  had  the  brigade  formed,  and  made  a  lit- 
tle speech  to  them,  calling  them  "the  faithful  few,"  warmly  com- 
mending their  courage  and  fortitude  during  the  fearful  conflict 
of  the  day  before. 

In  this  battle  General  George  B.  Anderson,  who  commanded 
the  brigade,  was  wounded.  His  wound  proved  fatal,  and  the 
Confederacy  lost  one  of  its  noblest  defenders.  He  was  the  first 
Colonel  of  the  Fourth  Regiment.  The  writer  of  this  sketch 
knew  him  well  and  loved  him  much.  He  was  a  perfect  speci- 
men of  a  man  in  every  way.  A  graduate  of  West  Point,  a 
devoted  Churchman,  a  pure  and  chivalrous  gentleman,  as  modest 
and  chaste  as  a  woman,  as  brave  and  daring  as  a  man  could  be. 
His  was  a  very  great  loss. 

The  18th  day  of  September  was  spent  near  the  hard  fought 
field  of  the  day  before,  in  constant  expectation  of  another  engage- 
ment, while  details  were  occupied  in  burying  the  dead  and  caring 
for  the  wounded;  our  own  wounded  being  sent  across  the  river 
to  the  Virginia  side.  At  night  all  remaining  baggage  and  troops 
crossed  over ;  the  writer  of  this  narrative  being  left  at  the  house 
of  Mrs.  Boteler,  in  Shepherdstown,  Va.,  where  he  lay  for  six 
weeks  in  a  most  helpless  and  precarious  condition  from  the 
wound  received  on  the  17th,  and  where  he  received  every  atten- 
tion that  human  kindness  could  provide  on  the  part  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  family,  and  also  from  Mr.  Darnell,  a  faithful  nurse 
detailed  from  the  hospital,  to  whom  he  is  indebted  for  his  life. 
He  would  also  mention  with  gratitude,  his  faithful  negro  servant, 
Gus,  who  remained  with  him  during  the  time  in  spite  of  the 


22 


efforts  that  were  made  to  induce  him  to  go  away  with  the  North- 
ern troops,  who  held  the  town  where  we  were. 

On  the  20th  of  September  the  regiment  took  part  in  the  attack 
that  was  made  on  the  Northern  troops  who  had  crossed  the  river 
near  the  town.  This  engagement  proved  disastrous  to  the  enemy, 
many  of  them  being  killed,  and  many  drowned  in  the  river  as 
they  retreated  across.  Afterward  the  command  was  removed  to 
the  neighborhood  of  Fredericksburg,  where  it  spent  the  winter 
doing  picket  duty  and  recruiting  its  numbers.  The  writer  hav- 
ing been  captured  while  wounded,  in  Shepherdstown,  was  not 
exchanged  until  after  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg. 

FREDERICK8BUBG. 

On  the  13th  of  December  our  brigade  was  placed  in  position 
to  support  the  artillery,  preparatory  to  the  battle  of  Fredericks- 
burg, which  took  place  on  the  15th.  We  were  held  in  reserve 
until  after  the  enemy  had  made  the  first  charge,  when  the  brigade 
was  moved  forward  and  took  the  front  line,  which  it  held  the 
remainder  of  the  day.  Our  loss  in  this  engagement  was  but 
trifling,  as  we  were  protected  by  breastworks  most  of  the  time. 
Immediately  after  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg  we  went  into 
winter  quarters  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Rapidan  River,  where 
we  remained  for  the  balance  of  the  winter. 

CHANCELLOESVILLE. 

On  the  1st  of  May,  1863,  the  enemy  bagan  to  make  demonstra- 
tions indicating  a  purpose  of  beginning  the  campaign.  We  now 
began  that  grand  movement  which,  but  for  the  untimely  wound- 
ing of  General  Jackson,  would  have  resulted  in  the  entire 
destruction  of  Hooker's  army.  The  brigade  was  commanded  by 
the  brave  and  gallant  Ramseur,  who  displayed  remarkable  cour- 
age and  skill  in  mauaging  it  during  this  campaign,  and  as  long 
as  he  continued  in  command.  The  regiment  was  commanded  by 
Colonel  Grimes.  After  much  skirmishing,  and  then  a  long  and 
circuitous    route,  we  found  ourselves   on  the  extreme  right  of 


23 


Hooker's  army.  This  was  the  2d  of  May.  Though  late  in  the 
afternoon,  and  the  troops  much  fatigued,  line  of  battle  was 
formed,  and  the  attack  begun.  We  struck  the  enemy  squarely 
on  the  flank,  and  everything  gave  way  before  us  until  night  put 
a  stop  to  our  advance.  Many  prisoners  and  much  baggage  and 
stores  were  captured.  We  slept  on  the  field  that  night,  and  on 
the  3d  of  May  was  fought  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville. 

The  left  of  the  Fourth  Regiment  was  near  the  great  road 
which  ran  in  rear  of  the  enemy's  works  and  nearly  parallel  with 
them,  our  line  of  battle  extending  to  the  right  of  this  road  at 
right  angles  with  it.  At  daylight  the  battle  began,  Jackson's 
Corps,  now  under  Stuart,  attacking  the  enemy's  right,  while  other 
troops  engaged  their  front.  Ramseur's  Brigade  was  formed  in 
the  rear  of  Paxton's  brigade  that  held  a  line  of  breastworks  which 
we  had  captured  the  day  before.  This  brigade  was  ordered  to 
advance  and  charge  the  enemy  in  front,  but  they  failed  to  comply 
with  the  order,  whereupon  General  Ramseur,  who  was  present, 
and  heard  the  command,  offered  to  make  the  charge.  The  order 
was  then  given  in  the  presence  of  Colonel  Grimes,  when  they 
both  hurried  back  to  the  brigade  and  ordered  the  men  forward. 
When  the  breastworks  were  reached  the  men  who  occupied  them 
were  lying  down,  our  men  passing  literally  over  them  and  across 
the  works,  formed  line  of  battle  in  front  of  the  enemy,  in  the 
face  of  a  destructive  fire.  The  command  "  Double-quick"  was 
given,  when  the  Fourth  Regiment,  under  Colonel  Grimes,  and 
part  of  the  Second,  under  Colonel  Cox,  moved  forward  and 
drove  the  enemy  from  their  works.  There  were  several  batteries 
on  the  hill  in  front,  but  when  the  infantry  left  the  works  the 
artillery  was  quickly  abandoned.  These  batteries  had  done  ter- 
rible havoc  among  our  troops  as  they  approached  the  enemy's 
lines.  Several  efforts  were  made  by  the  enemy  to  recover  their 
works,  but  they  were  driven  back  each  time  with  heavy  loss. 
Afterwards  they  extended  their  lines  and  came  down  upon  our 
right  flank,  threatening  to  cut  off  our  retreat,  when  we  were  com- 
pelled to  fall  back  and  rejoin  the  other  part  of  the  brigade,  which 
still  occupied  the  line  from  which  the  charge  had  been  made. 


24 

Colonel  Grimes  received  a  severe  contusion  in  this  part  of  the 
engagement,  and  when  he  reached  the  breastworks  referred  to 
he  fell  fainting  to  the  ground.  He  soon  revived  and  was  ready 
for  action  again.  Meanwhile  General  Rodes  came  up  and 
ordered  the  troops,  who  had  refused  to  charge,  to  move  forward, 
whenfthe  whole  line,  thus  re-inforced,  returned  and  captured  the 
entire  line  of  works.  Our  loss  was  very  severe.  Forty-six 
officers  and  men  were  killed  outright,  fifty-seven  wounded,  and 
fifty-eight  captured,  out  of  three  hundred  and  twenty-seven 
officers^and  men  who  went  into  the  engagement. 

General  Cox,  in  his  address  on  the  "Life  and  Character  of 
General  Ramseur/'  gives  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  General  Lee  to 
Governor  Vance,  in  which  he  speaks  in  terms  of  high  praise  of 
the  conduct;3of  Ramseur  and  his  brigade  in  this  engagement, 
and  states  that  General  Jackson  had  sent  him  a  message  to  the 
same  effect,  after  he  was  wounded,  in  reference  to  his  conduct 
the  day  before.     General  Ramseur  in  his  official  report  says: 

"The  charge  of  the  brigade,  made  at  a  critical  moment,  when 
the  enemyJJiad  broken  and  was  hotly  pressing  the  centre  of  the 
line  in  front  with  apparently  overwhelming  numbers,  not  only 
checked  his*advauce,  but  threw  him  back  in  disorder  and  pur- 
sued him^with  heavy  loss  from  his  last  line  of  works.  Too 
high  praise  cannot  be  accredited  to  officers  and  men  for  their 
gallantry,  manly  courage  and  fortitude  during  this  brief  but 
arduous  campaign. 

"The  advance  of,  the  line  on  Friday  was  made  under  the  eyes 
of  our  departed  hero  (Jackson)  and  of  General  A.  P.  Hill, 
whose  words  of  commendation  and  praise  bestowed  on  the  field 
we  fondly^cherish.  And  on  Sunday  the  magnificent  charge  of 
the  brigade  upon  the  enemy's  last  and  most  terrible  stronghold 
was  made  in|view  of  General  Stuart  and  General  Rodes,  whose 
testimony '  that  it  was  the  most  glorious  charge  of  that  most 
glorious  day,  we  are  proud  to  remember  and  report  to  our  kindred 
and  friends.  All  met  the  enemy  with  unflinching  courage;  and 
for  privation^hardships  and  splendid  marches,  all  of  which  were 


25 

cheerfully  borne,  they  deserve  the  praise  of  our  beautiful  and 
glorious  Confederacy." 

The  victory  was  complete,  and  we  were  left  in  undisputed 
possession  of  the  field.  Nothing  could  surpass  the  dashing  skill 
and  courage  of  the  brilliant  and  accomplished  Ramseur  on  this 
occasion,  and  the  day  before,  while  the  intrepid  Grimes  shone 
with  magnificent  splendor  by  his  side.  They  were  like  two  lion- 
hearted  brothers,  while  the  gallant  Cox,  heroic  Parker  and  the 
brave  and  sturdy  Bennett,  always  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight, 
and  where  duty  called,  constituted  a  galaxy  that  any  country 
might  well  be  proud  to  own.  It  was  a  dearly  bought  victory — 
many  of  our  best  young  men  laid  down  their  lives  that  day. 
After  a  few  weeks'  rest  and  recuperation  the  command  was  again 
on  the  move. 

BRANDY   STATION. 

On  the  9th  of  June  we  supported  the  Confederate  cavalry  at 
Brandy  Station.  Though  under  fire,  we  were  not  actively 
engaged.  We  then  went  to  the  Valley  and  assisted  in  driving 
the  enemy  from  Berryville  and  Martinsburg,  and  on  the  15th  of 
June  crossed  into  Maryland  with  Lee's  army  and  participated  in 
the  Gettysburg  campaign.  The  conduct  of  the  men  on  this 
march  through  the  enemy's  country  was  orderly  and  gentlemanly 
in  the  highest  degree.  There  was  no  straggling,  no  disorder  and 
no  plundering.  The  only  disturbance  of  the  property  of  the 
country  the  writer  saw  was  the  men  helping  themselves  to  the 
splendid  supplies  of  cherries  that  grew  along  the  lanes  through 
which  we  passed. 

GETTYSBURG. 

On  the  1st  of  July,  1863,  we  moved  off  about  sunrise  toward 
Gettysburg.  About  3  o'clock  p.  m.  we  arrived  at  the  scene  of 
action.  The  battle  had  begun,  as  was  apparent  from  the  roar 
of  artillery  and  musketry  in  our  front  and  to  the  right.  The 
Fourth  Regiment  was  on  the  left  of  the  brigade,  under  Colonel 
Grimes.     We  were  ordered  forward  in  advance  of  the  main  line 


26 


of  battle.  We  had  only  moved  a  few  paces  when  our  direction 
was  changed  by  the  right  flank.  Marching  a  few  hundred  yards, 
we  were  recalled  by  General  Rodes  and  formed  on  a  hill,  in 
connection  with  the  Second  Regiment,  to  repel  an  attack  that  was 
threatened  from  that  quarter.  In  a  few  minutes  a  brigade  of 
Federals  appeared  in  our  front,  moving  obliquely  to  the  left 
instead  of  advancing  towards  us.  General  Rodes  then  ordered 
the  Second  and  Fourth  Regiments  to  advance  upon  them.  Soon 
we  were  exposed  to  a  severe  fire,  enfilading  our  lines  from  the 
woods  on  the  right,  which  caused  Colonel  Grimes  to  change  front 
to  the  right.  We  then  advanced  upon  the  enemy,  and  being 
joined  by  the  other  two  regiments  of  the  brigade,  we  drove  them 
before  us  in  much  confusion,  capturing  a  large  number  of  prison- 
ers. We  were  the  first  to  enter  the  town  of  Gettysburg,  and 
halted  to  rest  on  the  road  leading  out  toward  the  west.  Here 
we  remained  until  night,  when  we  were  ordered  to  make  a  night 
attack;  but  after  approaching  within  a  short  distance  of  the 
enemy's  lines  the  order  was  countermanded,  and  we  returned  to 
the  position  first  occupied.  On  the  3d  of  July  we  were  under 
heavy  firing  from  the  enemy's  guns,  but  only  a  few  men  were 
hurt,  as  we  were  protected  by  a  ridge.  We  lost  some  valuable 
men  in  this  battle,  among  whom  was  Lieutenant  John  Stockton, 
of  Company  H.  He  was  a  brave,  modest,  conscientious,  Christian 
soldier,  just  in  the  beginning  of  his  manhood.  The  regiment 
behaved  splendidly  in  this  battle.  lu  fact,  the  men  had  become 
so  much  accustomed  to  marching  and  fighting  that  we  never 
thought  of  their  doing  otherwise. 

On  the  5th  of  July,  Ewell's  Corps  began  the  retreat  from 
Gettysburg,  and  the  regiment  formed  part  of  the  rearguard  of 
the  army,  which  position  it  occupied  until  the  army  recrossed 
the  Potomac  at  or  near  Hagerstown.  The  men  bore  the  hard- 
ships and  privations  of  this  most  trying  campaign  with  remarka- 
ble cheerfulness  and  fortitude.  After  crossing  the  Potomac  into 
Virginia,  we  went  to  Orange  Court  House,  where  we  remained 
doing  picket  duty  until  about  the  middle  of  November,  when 
we  went  into  winter  quarters  some  eight  miles  from  that  town, 


27 


and  spent  the  winter  doing  picket  duty  on  the  Rappahannock, 
participating  in  the  skirmish  at  Kelley's  Ford,  and  also  at  Mine 
Run. 

SPOTTSYLVANIA    COURT    HOUSE. 

On  the  5th  of  May,  1864,  General  Grant  began  his  movement 
toward  Richmond,  having  crossed  the  Rapidan  with  more  than 
a  hundred  thousand  men.  From  that  day  until  the  close  of  the 
campaign  the  regiment  was  actively  engaged  almost  every  day. 
On  the  8th  of  May  two  companies  of  the  regiment  were  detailed 
to  strengthen  the  line  of  sharp-shooters  commanded  by  Major 
Osborne,  now  numbering,  so  re-inforced,  some  three  huudred 
men.  After  mauoeuvering  for  some  time  with  the  enemy,  Gen- 
eral Ramseur  rode  to  the  front  and  ordered  a  charge.  The  men 
moved  off  in  a  double-quick,  crossing  a  field  some  two  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  wide,  and  driving  the  enemy's  skirmishers  before 
us.  We  encountered  a  line  of  battle  on  the  top  of  the  ridge. 
With  a  shout,  the  men  pushed  forward,  and  the  enemy's  line  gave 
way,  leaving  their  baggage  in  heaps  where  they  had  piled  it  pre- 
paratory to  an  engagement. 

On  the  9th  of  May  we  had  a  sharp  encounter  with  the  enemy 
in  force.  After  some  twenty  minutes  fighting,  we  advanced 
upon  them,  when  they  retired.  On  the  10th  and  11th  our  sharp- 
shooters were  actively  engaged,  day  and  night,  and  the  regiment 
kept  in  line  of  battle  most  of  the  time.  On  the  evening  of  the 
11th  an  attack  was  made  upon  our  right,  breaking  the  line. 
General  Battle's  (Alabama)  Brigade  rushed  in  and  supported  the 
line  that  had  been  driven  back,  and  with  the  aid  of  our  brigade, 
which  charged  the  enemy's  right  flank,  they  were  driven  back 
and  the  line  was  restored  after  a  most  stubborn  and  determined 
resistance  on  the  part  of  the  foe.  On  the  morning  of  the  12th 
of  May  the  enemy  made  a  furious  assault  upon  General  Edward 
Johnston's  line,  half  a  mile  to  our  right,  breaking  the  line  and 
capturing  many  men.  Rodes'  Division  was  ordered  to  retrieve 
the  loss.  The  fate  of  the  army  was  at  stake.  Ramseur,  with 
his  brigade,  led  the  charge,  and  in  the  face  of  the  most  murderous 
fire  drove  back  the  foe  and  restored  the  broken  line.     Ramseur 


28 


was  wounded  in  this  charge  when  near  the  retaken  works.  Colo- 
nel Grimes  took  command  of  the  brigade  for  the  remainder  of 
that  day  and  for  some  days  after.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Wood 
was  now  in  command  of  the  regiment,  and  continued  in  com- 
mand until  his  death.  He  was  a  most  faithful,  brave  and  consci- 
entious Christian  soldier;  a  lovely  gentleman  and  skillful  officer. 
The  broken  line  was  retaken  after  a  most  fearful  encounter,  and 
held  until  after  2  o'clock  at  night,  during  which  time  we  repelled 
more  than  twenty  distinct  and  desperate  attempts  of  the  enemy 
to  retake  the  works  we  had  recaptured  in  the  morning. 

Speaking  of  the  battle  of  the  12th  of  May,  an  army  cor- 
respondent of  the  London  Herald  says: 

"Ramseur's  Brigade  of  North  Carolina  Troops  being  ordered 
to  charge,  were  received  by  the  enemy  with  stubborn  resistance. 
The  desperate  character  of  the  struggle  along  that  brigade  was 
told  terribly  by  the  rapidity  of  its  musketry.  So  close  was  the 
fighting  there  for  a  time,  that  the  fire  of  friends  and  foe  rose  up 
rattling  in  one  common  roar.  Ramseur's  North  Carolinians 
dropped  thick  and  fast,  but  he  continued  with  glorious  constancy 
to  gain  ground,  foot  by  foot.  Pressing  under  a  fierce  fire  reso- 
lutely on,  on,  on,  the  struggle  was  about  to  become  one  of  hand- 
to-hand,  when  the  Federalists  shrank  from  the  bloody  trial, 
driven  back,  but  not  defeated.  They  bounded  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  earth-works,  placing  them  in  their  front,  and  renew- 
ed the  conflict.  A  rush  of  an  instant  brought  Ramseur's  men 
to  the  side  of  the  defenses;  and  though  they  crouched  close 
to  the  slopes  under  an  enfilade  from  the  guns  of  the  salient,  their 
musketry  rattled  in  deep  and  deadly  fire  on  the  enemy  that  stood 
in  overwhelming  numbers  but  a  few  yards  from  their  front. 
Those  brave  North  Carolinians  had  thus,  in  one  of  the  hottest 
conflicts  of  the  day,  driven  the  enemy  from  the  works  that  had 
been  occupied  during  the  previous  night  by  a  brigade  which, 
until  May  the  12th,  had  never  yielded  to  a  foe — '  The  Stonewall.'  " 

-X-  -X-  *  *  *  -X-  *  # 

Ramseur,  though  suffering  much  from  the  wound  in  his  hand, 
would  not  leave  the  field   until  the  fight  was  over,  and  soon 


29 


afterwards  resumed  the. command  of  his  brigade  with  his  arm  in 
a  sling. 

This  was  one  of  the  most  splendid  achievements  of  the  war, 
and  was  accomplished  in  magnificent  style.  Raniseur,  on  his 
.fiery  steed,  looked  like  an  angel  of  war.  Grimes,  too,  was  on 
his  horse,  the  very  picture  of  coolness,  grim  determination  and 
undaunted  courage,  while  Wood  and  the  other  officers  and  men 
moved  into  the  horrible  conflict  like  men  of  iron  and  steel.  The 
enemy,  flushed  with  their  temporary  success,  stood  their  ground 
with  persistent  and  stubborn  firmness,  and  poured  into  our  ranks 
a  destructive  fire.  But  onward  moved  our  lion-hearted  men, 
closing  up  their  rapidly  thinning  ranks,  and  pouring  a  continuous 
storm  of  leaden  hail  into  the  enemy's  ranks,  as  he  slowly,  but 
stubbornly  retired,  until  he  reached  the  line  of  works,  as 
described  above,  from  which  he  was  driven  almost  at  the  very 
point  of  the  bayonet.  The  pits  at  the  breastworks  were  filled 
with  water  from  recent  rains;  many  dead  and  wounded  from 
both  sides  were  lying  in  the  pits  when  we  reached  them.  The 
water  was  red  with  human  gore.  The  bodies  of  the  dead  were 
dragged  out,  and  the  men  took  shelter  in  their  places,  which  they 
held  for  the  balance  of  the  day.  The  writer  received  a  painful 
contusion  from  a  ball  that  passed  through  a  heavy  canteen  of 
water  which  he  carried,  aud  which  no  doubt  saved  his  life. 
After  recovering  from  the  temporary  shock,  he  resumed  his  place 
in  line  of  battle,  where  he  remained  the  rest  of  the  day.  After 
the  battle  General  Rodes  thanked  the  brigade  in  person,  saying 
they  deserved  the  thanks  of  the  country,  and  that  they  had  saved 
Ewell's  Corps.  General  Early  also  made  a  similar  statement  in 
regard  to  this  occasion.  Our  loss  included  some  of  the  best  of 
our  brave  and  well  tried  men.  Among  the  number  was  Cap- 
tain William  McRorie,  of  Company  A,  as  brave  and  gallant  a 
youth  as  ever  drew  a  sword.  About  2  o'clock  in  the  morning 
we  changed  our  position  to  one  more  advantageous,  which  we 
held  until  the  19th  of  May.  The  position  occupied  by  the 
brigade  was  just  to  the  left  of  "the  bloody  angle,"  the  right  of 
the  Fourth  Regiment  extending  to  within  a  few  rods  of  the 


30 


angle,  where  the  trees  were  literally  cut  down  by  minie-balls 
from  the  enemy's  guns.  This  was  one  of  the  most  prolonged 
and  stubbornly  contested  engagements  of  the  war.  It  began 
about  halfpast  five  in  the  morning  and  lasted  until  near  two 
o'clock  the  next  morning,  and  the  enemy  made  very  many  assaults 
upon  the  lines  during  the  time,  but  without  avail. 

On  the  19th  of  May  we  made  a  flank  movement  upon  the  left 
of  Grant's  army,  which  resulted  in  a  heavy  engagement.  Here 
we  met  the  enemy  in  the  open  field,  without  breastworks  on 
either  side.  Both  sides  were  determined  to  do  their  best,  and 
displayed  the  most  undaunted  courage.  Night  put  an  end  to  the 
engagement,  and  the  next  morning  found  both  armies  some  dis- 
tance from  the  scene  of  the  engagement.  Our  loss  was  sixty- 
five  men  killed  and  wounded.  Among  the  former  was  the  brave 
and  gallant  Christian  soldier,  Augustus  Byers,  and  among  the 
latter  the  writer  of  this  narrative. 

In  speaking  of  this  engagement  of  the  19th  of  May,  General 
Grimes  in  his  notes  says:  "Two  of  the  'Old  Guard'  killed — 
Gus  Byers  and  Taylor.  The  old  Fourth  lost  sixty-five 
killed  and  wounded."  The  regiment  was  under  the  command 
of  Colonel  Wood,  and  acted  with  its  usual  courage  and  firmness 
under  a  very  trying  ordeal,  being  at  one  time  completely  flanked 
by  the  enemy ;  but  by  a  skillful  movement  we  changed  front  to 
the  left  and  met  the  foe  in  good  order.  This  was  an  open  field 
engagement,  and  both  sides  deported  themselves  with  much 
courage  and  determination.  After  this  the  command  was  kept 
continually  on  the  move  until  the  army  reached  the  vicinity  of 
Richmond;  in  fact,  for  the  rest  of  the  summer  and  fall. 

On  the  22d  of  May  we  reached  Hanover  Junction,  after  much 
manoeuvering  and  skirmishing,  the  enemy  endeavoring  to  flank 
us.  On  the  25th  a  severe  fight  came  off,  and  again  on  the  30th, 
in  both  of  which  the  enemy  was  repulsed.  Our  loss  in  these 
engagements  was  small.  Again  on  the  3d  of  June  a  fierce  and 
bloody  engagement  occurred,  in  which  the  enemy  again  retired. 
This  was  one  of  the  bloodiest  fights  of  the  campaign,  and  the 
enemy's  loss  was  very  heavy. 


31 


On  the  13th  of  June  the  division  moved  in  the  direction  of 
South  Anna  River  to  meet  the  reported  advance  of  General  Hun- 
ter. General  Grimes  was  now  in  command  of  the  division,  in 
the  absence  of  General  Rodes. 

On  the  4th  of  July  Harper's  Ferry  was  captured  with  con- 
siderable stores  and  a  number  of  prisoners.  This  was  a  gala 
day  for  the  Confederates.  The  enemy  had  prepared  a  sumptuous 
feast,  and  was  celebrating  the  day,  when  our  men  made  the 
attack,  drove  him  out  of  the  town,  and  captured  everything 
just  as  he  was  about  to  begin  the  feast.  Of  course  our  hungry 
and  thirsty  men  enjoyed  the  booty  to  the  fullest  extent. 

On  the  6th  of  July  the  command  crossed  the  Potomac  at 
Shepherdstown,  Va.,  and  on  the  7th  passed  through  Fredrick 
City,  going  towards  Washington  City,  meeting  with  slight 
resistance  from  the  few  troops  who  were  left  there.  At  the 
Monocacy  River  we  encountered  General  Wallace,  who  had  been 
sent  to  intercept  and  resist  our  advance.  His  troops  occupied 
the  east  bank  of  the  river,  but  his  skirmishers  were  on  the  west 
side.  These  were  driven  back,  and  after  a  short  engagement  the 
whole  Federal  force  gave  way,  leaving  the  field,  with  their  dead 
and  wounded,  in  our  hands,  with  five  or  six  hundred  prisoners. 
The  Federals  fought  well,  and  our  loss  was  severe;  but  the 
troops  were  in  good  spirits.  The  command  moved  on  to  Rock- 
ville  on  the  10th,  and  on  the  11th  reached  Eleventh  Street  Pike, 
which  leads  into  the  City  of  Washington,  and  advanced  to  the 
neighborhood  of  Fort  Stephens.  After  two  or  three  days  we  be- 
gan the  retreat  for  Virginia,  during  which  there  were  frequent 
skirmishes  but  no  important  engagements.  The  command 
recrossed  the  Potomac  at  Leesburg,  crossed  the  Blue  Ridge  at 
Snicker's  Gap  and  the  Shenandoah  at  Snicker's  Ford. 

snicker's  gap. 

On  the  18th  of  July  the  regiment  participated  in  a  fierce  and 
bloody  encounter  with  the  enemy  near  Snicker's  Gap.  Several 
brigades  of  Federal  troops  had  crossed  to  the  south  side  of  the 
Shenandoah,  leaving  a  considerable  force  on  the  north  bank  as  a 


32 

support  and  a  cover  for  their  movements.  This  force  could  not 
be  reached  by  our  men,  but  kept  up  an  annoying  fire  upon  us 
while  we  engaged  the  force  on  the  south  side  of  the  river.  Here 
occurred  one  of  the  most  exciting  scenes  of  the  war.  The  enemy 
pursuing  Ewell,  had  crossed  to  the  south  side  of  the  river.  Our 
men  hurried  back  to  meet  them,  and  when  they  came  in  sight  the 
enemy  had  formed  line  of  battle  parallel  with  and  on  the  south 
side  of  the  river.  Our  men  were  in  line  of  battle  on  the  ridge  several 
hundred  yards  to  the  south.  About  half  way  between  the  two 
lines,  in  the  valley,  was  a  stone  fence.  As  soon  as  this  was  seen 
our  men  made  a  dash  for  it.  The  Federals  seeing  this,  and 
knowing  the  value  of  such  a  defence,  made  a  dash  for  it  at  the 
same  time.  Away  went  both  lines  of  battle  at  full  speed  as  fast 
as  their  feet  couid  carry  them,  scarcely  taking  time  to  fire  a  single 
shot,  both  lines  running  for  dear  life  to  gain  this  coveted  prize. 
But  our  men  had  the  advantage  of  down  grade,  and  gained  the 
wall,  while  the  enemy  was  some  fifty  or  more  yards  away,  and 
in  much  disorder.  He  instantly  faced  about  when  he  saw 
that  our  men  would  reach  the  wall  first,  and  beat  a  hasty  retreat, 
making  for  the  ford  at  which  he  had  crossed.  Our  men 
opened  fire  upon  him  and  he  suffered  heavily,  leaving  many 
of  his  men  and  three  regimental  flags  on  the  field.  The 
brigade  charged  the  enemy  and  drove  him  in  and  across  the 
river,  capturing  many  prisoners. 

Among  the  soldiers  who  fell  that  day  was  the  brave  and  gallant 
Colonel  James  H.  Wood,  who  was  in  command  of  the  regiment 
at  the  time  he  fell.  No  better  man  died  during  the  war  than  this 
splendid  soldier.  He  was  a  Christian  gentlemen,  a  young  man 
of  much  promise,  and  a  model  soldier;  brave,  gallant  and  faith- 
ful. He  died  at  the  post  of  duty,  giving  his  life  a  willing  sacri- 
fice for  the  cause  of  liberty,  which  he  loved  more  than  life  itself. 
At  this  engagement  also  fell  Colonel  W.  A.  Owens,  of  the  Fifty- 
third  (N.  C.)  Regiment,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  W.  S.  Stallings, 
of  the  Second  (N.  C.)  Regiment.  All  of  these  brave  and  gallant 
men  were  much  beloved  in  the  army  and  at  home,  and  in  their 
deaths  the  cause  lost  three  of  its  most  splendid  men. 


33 


After  this  fight  the  enemy's  sharp-shooters  annoyed  our  men 
very  much  with  their  long-range  rifles,  firing  from  the  tree-tops. 
A  man  of  the  Fourth  Regiment,  whose  name  I  have  not  been 
able  to  learn,  discovered  one  of  these  sharp-shooters  in  the  top 
of  a  tree.  He  ran  from  tree  to  tree  until  within  range  of  his 
own  gun,  and  brought  him  down  the  first  shot.  The  enemy's 
men  ran  out  and  fired  upon  this  daring  Confederate,  while  our 
men  rushed  to  his  rescue;  but  they  could  not  save  him — he 
fell  pierced  with  bullets.  There  was  no  more  firing  from  the 
trees  at  that  place. 

The  command  of  the  regiment  now  devolved  upon  Captain 
S.  A.  Kelly,  of  Compauy  G,  who  continued  in  command  until 
wounded  and  captured  at  the  battle  of  Winchester,  when  Major 
Stausill  was  put  in  command,  which  he  retained  until  the  month 
of  March,  when  he  gave  it  up  on  account  of  a  wound,  and  Cap- 
tain Forcum  commanded  it  until  the  surrender.  The  brigade, 
under  command  of  General  William  R.  Cox,  was  kept  constantly 
on  the  move  in  the  neighborhood  of  Berry  vi lie,  Newtown,  Mid- 
dletown,  Strasburg,  Kearnstown  and  Bunker  Hill,  sometimes 
tearing  up  the  railroad  track ;  again  skirmishing  with  the  enemy, 
and  then  resting  for  a  few  days,  awaiting  orders;  at  one  time 
crossing  the  Potomac  and  going  as  far  as  Hagerstown,  Md. ;  then 
returning  rapidly  to  Bunker  Hill,  and  from  there  to  Winchester ; 
and  then  again  to  Strasburg  and  Harper's  Ferry.  The  health 
and  spirits  of  the  men  were  good,  and  they  were  always  pleased 
to  be  in  motion,  even  if  it  involved  a  skirmish  with  the  enemy. 
At  Stevenson's  Depot  and  Berryville  there  was  considerable 
fighting,  with  variable  results;  sometimes  retreating,  and  some- 
times advancing;  but  most  generally  the  latter,  as  the  enemy's 
forces  were  at  that  time  usually  small,  and  they  not  much  dis- 
posed to  make  a  stubborn  fight. 

THE    BATTLE    OF    WINCHESTER. 

On  the  19th  of  September  the  brigade  was  under  arms  at  an 
early  hour.  About  10  o'clock  a.  m.  line  of  battle  was  formed 
by  three   brigades^  of  the   division,    Grimes  (Bodes')    on  the 


34 


right,  Cox  in  the  center  and  Cooke  on  the  left.  Our  command 
was  on  the  left  of  the  Winchester  and  Martiusburg  road.  We 
soon  engaged  the  enemy,  who  had  approached  near  our  position, 
and  who  after  a  short  encounter  gave  way.  Cox  pressed  him  vigo- 
rously through  an  open  field,  while  Grimes  drove  him  through  the 
woods,  Cooke  supporting  our  left.  At  this  point  General  Rodes 
was  killed,  but  the  men  did  not  observe  the  fact  at  the  time. 
So  they  pressed  on,  driving  everything  before  them,  and  captured 
a  number  of  prisoners  who  had  secreted  themselves  in  a  ditch. 
The  brigade  moved  on  to  the  crest  of  the  ridge  where  Grimes 
had  formed  his  line.  Here  General  Evans'  Brigade  was  driven 
back,  leaving  our  left  exposed.  A  battery  was  sent  to  our  relief 
and  the  advance  of  the  enemy  checked  at  this  point.  Between 
4  and  5  o'clock  we  fell  back  in  good  order,  as  the  enemy  had 
passed  our  left  and  threatened  our  rear.  Line  of  battle  was 
formed  upon  the  crest  of  some  hills,  from  which  we  advanced, 
again  driving  the  enemy,  but  being  outflanked,  we  had  to  retire 
again,  which  was  done  in  good  order.  The  whole  army  was 
now  in  retreat.  Our  division  held  the  enemy  in  check  until  the 
greater  part  of  our  men  had  withdrawn,  and  then  retreated  in 
column  for  some  distance,  when  the  brigade  formed  line  of  bat- 
tle and  protected  the  artillery  until  night.  We  then  continued 
the  retreat  until  we  came  to  Fisher's  Hill.  The  Fourth  Regi- 
ment was  actively  engaged  with  the  brigade  during  this  engage- 
ment and  suffered  considerably.  Among  the  killed  was  the 
brave  and  devoted  soldier,  Lieutenant  T.  W.  Stevenson,  of 
Company  C,  and  a  number  of  our  best  men  of  the  ranks. 

This  was  a  most  disastrous  day  for  the  Confederacy.  The 
brave  and  gallant  Rodes  and  many  valuable  officers  and  men 
were  killed.  The  battle  lasted  nine  hours,  and  the  men  were 
under  arms  for  forty-eight  hours,  with  but  little  chance  for  rest 
or  rations.  The  command  returned  to  Strasburg,  from  there  to 
New  Market,  fighting  much  of  the  way,  and  keeping  in  good 
order.  From  Port  Republic  we  marched  to  Weir's  Cave,  thence 
to  Waynesboro,  Mt.  Sidney,  Harrisonburg,  and  back  again  to 
New  Market. 


35 


CEDAR    CREEK. 


Our  next  encounter  with  the  enemy  was  at  Cedar  Creek.  By  a 
well  planned  flank  movement,  after  marching  all  night,  we  attack- 
ed the  enemy  at  daylight  on  the  19th  of  October,  1864.  The 
surprise  was  complete,  and  the  enemy  fled  from  his  tents  without 
arms,  and  many  of  the  men  in  their  night  clothes.  So  completely 
were  they  demoralized  that  a  whole  division  fled  before  our  little 
brigade,  having  made  but  slight  resistance.  Some  six  thousand 
prisoners  and  much  artillery  and  baggage  were  captured.  Until 
3  o'clock  everything  was  ours.  But  between  3  and  4  o'clock 
p.  M.  the  enemy  rallied  under  the  direction  of,  General  Sheridan, 
who  met  the  retreating  columns  about  that  time,  turned  them 
back,  and  wrested  most  of  the  fruits  of  the  victory,  except  the 
prisoners,  from  our  grasp.  Ramseur,  the  brave  successor  of  the 
gallant  Rodes,  was  mortally  wounded,  and  our  command  barely 
escaped  being  captured.  As  an  evidence  of  the  severity  of  this 
fight,  there  stands  a  marble  shaft  on  the  field  with  an  inscription 
which  states  that  it  marks  the  place  where  the  Eighth  Vermont 
Regiment  fought  that  day,  and  that  of  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
four  men  and  sixteen  officers  they  lost  one  hundred  and  ten  men 
and  thirteen  officers  killed  and  wounded.  The  loss  of  the  Fourth 
Regiment  in  this  fight  was  comparatively  small,  but  among  the 
number  was  the  brave  and  gallant  Lieutenant  William  Richard 
McXeely,  of  Company  A,  than  whom  a  better  soldier  never 
drew  a  sword.  Among  the  wounded  was  John  A.  Stikeleather, 
the  faithful  standard-bearer  of  the  regiment,  who  soon  recovered, 
however,  and  bore  the  colors  of  the  Fourth  Regiment  until  the 
surrender. 

When  Ramseur  fell,  General  Grimes,  our  former  Colonel,  took 
command  of  the  division,  which  he  retained  until  the  close  of 
the  war.  This  was  a  sad  day  for  our  cause.  We  were  simply 
overpowered  by  numbers,  the  enemy  having  about  five  men  to 
our  one.  As  it  was,  our  division  held  its  own,  or  rather  was 
victorious,  until  the  troops  on  the  left  gave  way  about  4  o'clock 


36 

in  the  afternoon,  and  then  it  was  compelled  to  retire,  but  retained 
its  organization  and  saved  the  army  from  a  complete  rout. 

A    JsIGHT    ATTACK. 

On  this  campaign  occurred  one  of  those  most  trying  experi- 
ences to  a  soldier's  nerves,  namely,  a  night  attack.  It  was 
known  that  the  enemy  was  in  the  neighborhood.  After  night 
the  men  were  ordered  to  lay  aside  everything  that  could  make  a 
noise,  such  as  canteens,  tin  cups,  pans,,  etc.  At  a  late  hour,  when 
all  was  quiet,  an  order  was  passed  down  the  line  in  a  whisper 
to  move  slowly  and  stealthily  forward.  After  going  considerable 
distance  and  approaching  near  the  enemy's  line,  some  one  stepped 
on  a  rail,  or  a  pole,  which  broke  with  a  loud  report.  Instantly 
every  man  fell  with  his  face  to  the  ground.  A  stream  of  fire 
blazed  out  along  the  enemy's  line,  and  a  shower  of  bullets 
whistled  over  their  heads.  The  next  instant  the  men  were  on 
their  feet  firing  and  yelling  as  they  advanced.  The  lines  were 
so  near  and  the  movement  of  our  men  so  rapid  that  the  Federals 
could  not  reload  their  guns,  so  they  fled  through  the  woods  in 
the  dark,  and  our  men  were  glad  to  rest  until  morning. 

On  the  23d  of  November  the  command  was  marched  from 
New  Market  to  meet  a  heavy  force  of  cavalry  that  approached 
Hood's  Hill.  After  considerable  fighting  the  enemy  was  routed 
and  driven  away.  The  ground  was  covered  with  snow,  and  the 
men  suffered  much  from  cold  and  exposure.  On  the  13th  of 
December,  1864,  the  command  went  to  Petersburg,  where  they 
spent  the  winter,  sharing  the  dangers  and  hardships  of  the  seige. 
On  the  25th  of  March,  1865,  General  Grimes  made  an  attack 
upon  the  enemy's  works  at  Petersburg,  capturing  a  number  of 
prisoners  and  twelve  pieces  of  artillery ;  but  the  Fourth  Regiment 
did  not  participate  in  this  affair,  as  the  courier  got  lost  in  the  dark 
and  failed  to  deliver  the  orders  to  the  officer  in  commaud.  The 
1st  of  April,  1865,  the  enemy  attacked  the  line  on  our  right  and 
left,  but  did  not  molest  our  brigade.  The  fight  at  Fort  Gregg 
was  very  fierce,  and  the  men  of  our  command  saw  the  fall  of 
that  stronghold,  but  could  afford  no  assistance,  as  their  own  front 


37 


would  have  been  exposed  had  they  left  their  position.  On  the 
6th,  Grimes'  Division  was  covering  Lee's  retreat,  when  a 
determined  stand  was  made  at  Sailor's  Creek  and  the  enemy 
held  in  check  until  both  flanks  of  the  division  were  turned  by 
superior  numbers,  and  the  command  was  saved  from  capture  by 
a  rapid  retreat.  Grimes  staid  with  his  men  until  all  were  over 
the  creek  and  the  bridge  destroyed,  then  plunging  his  horse, 
Warren,  into  the  water,  crossed  over  under  a  perfect  storm  of 
bullets  and  made  his  escape. 

On  the  7th  of  April  Cox's  Brigade,  with  two  others,  under 
General  Grimes,  formed  line  of  battle  and  hurried  to  the  relief 
of  General  Mahone,  whose  line  was  giving  way  before  the  enemy. 
A  charge  was  made  and  the  enemy  driven  back  and  a  large  num- 
ber of  prisoners  captured.  General  Lee  complimented  the  men 
in  person  for  their  gallantry  on  this  occasion.  On  the  8th  the 
men  marched  all  day,  hungry,  tired  and  sore,  but  cheerful  and 
brave.  About  9  o'clock  that  night  heavy  firing  was  heard  in 
front,  when  the  men  were  ordered  forward,  and  marched  most  of 
the  night,  passing  through  the  town  of  Appomatox  Court  House 
before  day,  Sunday  morning,  the  9th,  and  engaged  in  the  fight 
which  occurred  near  that  place.  The  enemy  was  repulsed  and 
the  men  were  withdrawn  after  driving  the  enemy  from  his  posi- 
tion, and  the  division  started  to  rejoin  the  main  body  of  Gordon's 
Corps.  General  Grimes  rode  forward  and  asked  General  Gordon 
where  he  should  form  his  men.  The  general  answered,  "Any-11 
where  you  please."  Struck  by  this  answer,  Grimes  asked  for 
an  explanation,  when  he  was  told  that  the  army  had  been  sur- 
rendered by  General  Lee. 

I  close  this  part  of  this  sketch  with  the  following  quota- 
tion from  an  address  delivered  by  Henry  A.  London,  Esq.,  of 
Pittsboro.  After  telling  how  General  Grimes  had  planned 
and  carried  out  successfully  the  last  fight  made  by  any  part 
of  General  Lee's  army  on  the  9th  of  May  at  Appomattox 
Court  House,  and  had  driven  the  enemy  away  from  General 
Lee's  front,  driving  them  for  nearly  a  mile,  he  continues: 
"General    Grimes  then  sent  a  messenger  to  General   Gordon, 


38 


announcing  his  success,  and  that  the  road  to  Lynchburg  was  now 
open  for  the  escape  of  the  wagons.  Then,  to  his  great  surprise, 
he  received  orders  to  retire,  which  he  declined  to  do,  thinking 
that  General  Gordon  did  not  understand  the  commanding  posi- 
tion held  by  him.  General  Gordon  still  continued  to  send  orders 
to  withdraw,  which  General  Grimes  continued  to  disregard,  still 
thinking  that  General  Gordon  was  in  ignorance  of  his  position, 
until  finally  an  order  came  from  General  Lee  himself,  and  then 
slowly  and  sullenly  our  men  began  to  retrace  their  steps  over  the 
ground  from  which  they  had  so  successfully  driven  the  enemy. 
This  withdrawal  was  conducted  in  an  orderly  manner,  although  in 
the  immediate  front  of  a  greatly  superior  force.  At  one  time  the 
enemy,  with  loud  cheers,  made  a  sudden  rush  as  if  to  overwhelm 
our  little  band ;  but  the  brigade  or  General  W.  R.  Cox  ( which 
was  bringing  up  the  rear)  faced  about,  and  with  the  steadiness 
of  veteraus  on  parade,  poured  such  a  sudden  and  deadly  volley 
iuto  the  astonished  Federals  that  they  hastily  retired  in  confusion. 
This  was  the  last  volley  fired  at  Appomattox,  and  the  last  ever 
fired  by  the  grand  old  Army  of  Northern  Virginia." 

SOME    OFFICERS    AND    MEN    OF    THE    FOURTH    REGIMENT. 

Colonel  George  B.  Anderson  has  been  spoken  of.  He  was  a 
remarkable  man.  He  had  a  handsome  figure,  was  a  fine  horse- 
man; a  splendid  tactician;  had  a  clear,  musical  voice;  a  mild 
blue  gray  eye;  a  fine  golden  beard,  long  and  flowing,  and  a  very 
commanding  presence.  His  discipline  was  mild,  but  firm;  and 
his  courage  and  patriotism  of  the  very  highest  order.  He  was 
a  firm  believer  in  God  and  a  devout  Churchman. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  John  Augustus  Young  has  also  been 
mentioned.  He  was  a  gentleman  of  the  olden  type ;  a  Christian 
of  a  high  order,  and  a  devoted  patriot;  kind  and  genial  in  his 
nature;  and  a  devoted  Southern  man.  If  he  had  been  permitted 
to  remain  with  the  regiment  he  would  no  doubt  have  proved 
himself  a  worthy  successor  to  the  peerless  Anderson. 

Colonel  Bryan  Grimes  was  a  soldier  of  a  very  high  order. 
His  coolness  and  unwavering  courage,  as  well  as  his  judgment 


39 


and  skill,  commanded  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all  who  knew 
him,  and  he  was  widely  known.  He  was  a  most  conscientious, 
man,  and  a  firm  believer  in  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

Colonel  James  H.  Wood  was  cut  down  in  the  beginning  of  a 
most  promising  career.  He  was  a  true  and  faithful  soldier. 
Cool,  dashing  and  skillful.  A  man  who  feared  God  and  eschewed 
evil.  His  loss  was  most  deeply  felt  in  the  regiment.  He  was 
not  quite  twenty-four  years  old. 

Major  A.  K.  Simonton  fell  just  iu  the  beginning  of  the  war. 
He  was  a  prominent  figure  in  the  regiment,  and  gave  promise  of 
a  most  brilliant  career.  He  was  a  soldier  by  nature,  and  a  gen- 
tleman in  every  sense  of  the  word. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  David  M.  Carter  was  a  prominent  lawyer 
before  and  after  the  war.  He  was  a  brave  and  sturdy  soldier. 
Being  permanently  disabled  by  a  wound  received  at  Seven  Pines, 
he  was  assigned  to  duty  as  Judge  Advocate  of  the  General  Court- 
martial,  where  he  continued  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

Captain  F.  Y.  McNeely  resigned  early  in  the  war  on  account 
of  bad  health.  He  was  killed  by  the  enemy  in  the  raid  that 
was  made  upon  Salisbury  at  the  close  of  the  war. 

Captain  Jesse  S.  Barnes  was  killed  at  Seven  Pines.  He  was 
a  splendid  young  officer  of  great  promise;  a  most  intelligent, 
genial  and  promising  man;  a  man  of  education,  young  and 
talented  ;  a  good  soldier,  and  very  highly  esteemed  in  the  regi- 
ment. 

Captain  William  T.  Marsh  was  mortally  wounded  at  Sharps- 
burg.  He  was  standing  within  two  feet  of  the  writer  of  this 
sketch  when  stricken.  He  was  a  man  of  education,  intelligence 
and  great  force  of  character  and  a  good  soldier. 

Major  John  W.  Dunham  was  also  a  prominent  character  in 
the  Fourth  Regiment.  He  was  a  gallant  soldier,  and  a  man  of 
unusual  promise.  His  wound,  received  early  in  the  war,  dis- 
abled him  for  life,  and  finally,  after  untold  suffering,  caused  his 
death. 

Captain  W.  C.  Coughenour  was  also  a  striking  figure  in  the 
Fourth  Regiment.     He  entered  the  service  as  First  Lieutenant  of 


40 


Company  K,  and  was  in  all  the  engagements  with  the  regiment 
but  one;  and  was  twice  wounded.  He  was  Brigade  Inspector 
under  Generals  Ramseur  and  Cox,  and  in  1865,  was  made 
Inspector-General  of  Dealing's  Cavalry  Brigade,  afterwards  Gen- 
eral Roberts'  Brigade.     As  good  and  true  a  man  as  ever  lived. 

Major  J.  F.  Stansill  did  good  service  in  the  Fourth  Regiment. 
He  was  in  most  of  the  baltles  with  the  regiment,  and  was  five 
times  wounded.  He  was  a  man  of  courage  and  always  at  the 
post  of  duty. 

Captain  John  B.  Andrews  was  a  man  much  beloved  in  the 
Fourth  Regiment.  As  gentle  and  modest  as  a  woman,  yet  a  brave 
and  faithful  soldier.  He  was  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor,  from 
which  he  died. 

Captaiu  John  B.  Forcum,  of  Company  H,  was  one  of  the 
faithful  men  of  the  regiment.  Seldom  sick  or  wounded,  he  was 
always  at  his  post,  and  was  in  command  of  the  regiment  at  the 
surrender. 

Conspicuous  among  the  officers  of  the  regiment  were  the  mem- 
bers of  the  medical  staff.  Dr.  J.  K.  King  was  a  very  striking 
man  in  person,  character  and  ability.  He  soon  resigned  on 
account  of  bad  health. 

Chief  Surgeon  J.  F.  ShafFner,  M.  D.,  was  a  young  man  of 
splendid  ability  ;  a  man  of  education  and  fine  attainments,  and 
always  faithful  to  the  important  task  committed  to  him. 

Assistant  Surgeon  J.  M.  Hadley,  M.  D.,  was  also  a  man  of 
education,  talent  and  ability,  ever  working  in  harmony  with 
his  chief. 

Hospital  Steward,  Dr.  J.  W.  Guffy,  was  also  a  most  excellent 
man,  and  as  fuithful  to  his  duty  as  a  man  could  be.  The  patient 
and  untiring  devotion  of  these  gentlemen  to  the  interest  and 
welfare  of  the  men  of  the  regiment  won  for  them  the  undying 
gratitude  of  us  all. 

Captain  Thomas  H.  Blount  and  Captain  John  D.  Hyman  were 
Quartermaster  and  Commissary  of  the  regiment.  Both  were 
men    of  education   and    ability.     Though    non-combatants,   yet 


41 


both  volunteered  as  aids  to  General  Anderson.  The  former  was 
killed  and  the  latter  permanently  disabled. 

Captain  W.  G.  Kelly  commanded  the  regiment  in  the  battle 
of  Fredericksburg,  after  which  he  resigned,  and  his  brother,  Cap- 
tain S.  A.  Kelly,  was  appointed  in  his  place.  The  latter  bravely 
led  his  company  through  many  trying  and  bloody  campaigns, 
and  was  for  some  time  in  command  of  the  regiment.  He  was 
wounded  and  captured  at  Winchester  in  1864. 

Captain  W.  S.  Barnes  was  for  two  years  Adjutant  of  the  regi- 
ment. But  when  Colonel  Grimes  was  promoted  he  was  made 
Captain  and  given  a  place  on  his  staff,  where  he  continued  till  the 
close  of  the  war.     All  know  how  true  and  faithful  he  was. 

No  better  man  ever  wore  the  gray  than  Captain  Marcus  Hofflin. 
He  was  transferred  to  light  duty  on  account  of  lameness  in  his 
feet,  after  he  had  seen  much  hard  service  and  suffered  very  much. 

Captains  C.  S.  Alexander,  W.  G.  Falls  and  William  McRorie 
were  a  splendid  trio — school-mates  of  the  writer.  Alexander 
and  Falls  fell  at  Chaucellorsville  aud  McRorie  at  Spottsylvania. 
He  fell  within  two  feet  of  the  writer,  and  expired  without  a 
groan. 

Lieutenant  W.  R.  McNeely,  who  fell  at  the  battle  of  Cedar 
Creek,  was  one  of  Iredell  county's  heroes.  He  was  senior  officer 
on  the  left  of  the  regiment  when  he  fell,  and  his  loss  was  a  serious 
one  to  his  command.  He  was  a  cool  and  skillful  officer  and  a 
good  man. 

Lieutenants  James  Rufus  Reid  and  Joseph  C.  White  were  two 
shining  lights  in  the  regiment.  The  former,  though  scarcely 
seventeen  years  old,  a  man  in  character,  and  much  beloved  by 
his  seniors  and  subordinates,  fell  a  victim  to  disease  early  in  the 
war.     The  latter  was  killed  at  Seven  Pines. 

Lieutenants  Watson,  Cowan,  Barber  and  Burke,  of  Company 
B,  were  all  good  men,  and  did  their  duties  well  while  in  the  war. 

Lieutenant  Thomas  J.  Brown  was  a  good  soldier.  He  was 
transferred  to  the  Forty-second  Regiment  and  became  its  Ma- 
jor. Lieutenants  F.  A.  Carlton  aud  A.  S.  Fraley  were  good 
soldiers  and  an  honor  to  the  cause.    W.  K.  Eliason  was  assigned 


42 


special  duty  and  also  J.  A.  Cowan.  Captains  W.  A.  Kerr  and  G. 
A.  Andrews  were  most  excellent  men;  both  were  delicate  in 
constitution.  The  former  resigned  early  in  the  war  and  the 
latter  was  permanently  disabled  by  a  wound  and  died  soon  after 
the  war.  Lieutenant  J.  Pink  Cowan,  of  Company  A,  was  a 
brave  and  gallant  soldier.     He  was  killed  at  Chancellorsville. 

Lieutenant  Thomas  L.  Perry,  of  Company  E,  was  a  most 
gallant  soldier;  a  man  of  education  and  intelligence,  and  faith- 
ful to  his  duties.     He  was  mortally  wounded  at  Seven  Pines. 

Private  William  M.  Durell,  of  Company  K,  was  a  good  soldier. 
He  was  a  Northern  man,  but  devoted  to  the  cause  of  the  South, 
and  fought  through  the  war  as  a  matter  of  principle. 

Captain  E.  S.  Marsh  was  a  good  soldier  and  a  worthy  suc- 
cessor of  his  brother,  the  gallant  and  devoted  soldier,  Captain 
William  T.  Marsh,  who  was  mortally  wounded  at  Sharpsburg. 
He  was  appointed  Major  of  the  regiment,  permanently  disabled 
by  a  wound,  and  put  upon  light  duty. 

Lieutenant  Hamilton  C.  Long  was  wounded  at  Seven  Pines, 
and  resigned. 

Lieutenant  J.  W.  Shinn  was  a  talented  and  noble  soldier,  deli- 
cate in  health,  but  always  at  his  post.     He  fell  a  prey  to  disease. 

Lieutenant  John  Z.  Dalton  resigned  early  in  the  war. 

There  was  no  better  soldier  and  no  stronger  character  in  the 
regiment  than  Captain  H.  M.  Warren,  of  Company  F.  W.  O. 
Wootten,  of  the  same  company,  was  a  good  soldier.  Also,  Cap- 
tain T.  M.  Allen,  who  was  wounded  and  captured.  He  was  a 
good  soldier. 

The  writer  remembers  Lieutenants  Creek  man,  Tuten,  Bonner 
and  Styron,  of  Company  A,  as  good  representative  men  of  their 
section. 

We  were  blessed  in  having  two  good  and  faithful  men  of  God 
as  chaplains.  The  first  was  the  Rev.  William  A.  Wood.  He 
soon  resigned  on  account  of  ill  health,  aud  was  succeeded  by  the 
Rev.  Robert  B.  Anderson.  Both  were  men  of  ability  and  did 
good  service  in  their  holy  calling. 

The  survivors  of  the  Fourth  Regiment  will  no  doubt  remem- 


43 


ber  James  Stinson  and  Mr.  Bagley,  the  two  faithful  couriers,  who 
were  always  conspicuous  figures  in  time  of  battle. 

John  G.  Young,  the  Sergeant-major  of  the  regiment,  was  also 
a  well  known  character  in  the  regiment.  He  volunteered  in 
1863,  when  about  sixteen  years  of  age;  was  for  a  time  drill- mas- 
ter, having  been  a  cadet;  was  never  sick,  wounded,  nor  absent 
until  the  surrender.  He  asked  leave  to  bring  home  the  flag  of 
the  Fourth  Regiment,  but  was  not  allowed  to  do  so.  Henry 
Severs  was  another  brave  Mecklenburg  boy  of  about  the  same 
age.  He  was  with  General  George  B.  Anderson  when  he  was 
wounded,  and  assisted  in  helping  that  noble  hero  from  the  field 
of  Sharpsburg. 

Private  Augustus  Byers,  of  Company  A,  was  a  representa- 
tive Southern  man.  A  man  of  education  and  considerable 
means,  he  chose  to  serve  as  a  soldier,  and  was  killed  near  Chan- 
cellorsville,  the  19th  of  May,  1864.  He  was  a  splendid  man 
and  a  good  soldier. 

Many  members  of  the  regiment  were  transferred  and  given 
offices  in  other  commands.  Among  the  number  were  the  gallant 
Lieutenant-Colonel,  J.  McLeod  Turner,  of  the  Seventh  North 
Carolina,  and  Major  T.  J.  Brown,  of  the  Forty-second  North  Caro- 
lina, before  mentioned.  Colonel  H.  C.  Jones,  of  the  Fifty-seventh 
Regiment,  was  at  one  time  a  member  of  Company  K,  though  I 
believe  this  was  before  the  Fourth  Regiment  was  organized. 

Lieutenants  Lee,  Parker,  Stith,  Stevens  and  Thompson,  all  of 
Company  F,  made  good  soldiers  and  received  promotion. 

Lieutenant  T.  M.  C.  Davidson,  of  Company  A,  was  pro- 
moted from  the  ranks.     He  was  a  good  soldier. 

Lieutenant  Thomas  W.  Stephenson,  of  Company  C,  was  a 
fine  specimen  of  a  soldier.  Always  ready  for  duty,  and  never 
flinching  from  danger.  The  same  may  be  said  of  J.  A.  S.  Feims- 
ter  and  S.  A.  Claywell  of  the  same  company. 

Captains  Latham  and  Gallagher,  of  Company  E,  were  good 
soldiers.  The  former  was  retired  on  account  of  wounds  received 
in  battle.  The  latter  took  his  place  in  1863,  and  served  till  the 
end  of  the  war.    Lieutenants  Litchfield  and  Williamson  sustained 


44 

themselves  well  as  soldiers,  and  were  highly  esteemed  in  the 
regiment.  Lieutenant  Litchfield  was  killed  in  1864,  at  or  near 
Cold  Harbor. 

Captain  I.  H.  Carter,  of  Company  E,  was  a  brave  soldier. 
He  was  killed  at  Fredricksburg  in  1863.  Lieutenant  Guffy,  of 
Company  G,  was  a  first-rate  man.  Lieutenants  Smith,  Cain, 
Smoot  and  Jones,  of  the  same  company,  all  stood  well. 

Lieutenant  Edward  Tripp,  of  Company  E,  was  a  brave  and 
faithful  soldier,  who  had  command  of  the  company  for  quite  a 
while,  and  was  wounded  and  captured  in  1864. 

Lieutenants  Kennedy,  Summers  and  Stockton,  of  Company 
H,  were  good  representative  men  of  Iredell  county.  Lieuten- 
ant Summers  was  badly  wounded  at  Chancellorsville  while  act- 
ing as  Adjutant  of  the  regiment,  and  forced  to  accept  light  duty 
during  the  balance  of  the  war.  Weaver,  of  the  same  company, 
died  a  glorious  death  at  Sharpsburg,  as  has  been  told,  and  Stock- 
ton at  Gettysburg. 

Lieutenant  A.  N.  Wiseman,  of  Company  K,  was  a  model 
soldier.  As  Orderly  Sergeant  of  his  company  he  had  no  superior, 
and  as  a  commissioned  officer  he  was  all  that  could  be  desired. 
He  received  a  mortal  wound  at  Winchester  in  1864.  Cap- 
tain C.  A.  Hunt,  of  Lexington,  was  with  him  in  his  last 
moments. 

Captain  M.  L.  Beau,  also  of  Company  K,  was  a  true  and  gal- 
lant officer.  He  and  A.  C.  Carter,  of  Company  K,  volunteered 
to  make  a  bold  reconnaissance  at  Gettysburg  to  ascertain  the 
enemy's  position,  and  saved  the  regiment  from  what  might  have 
been  a  fatal  surprise,  such  as  befell  one  of  our  brigades  the  same 
day. 

Lieutenant  E.  J.  Redding,  of  Company  E,  a  bold  and  gallant 
youth,  fell  at  the  post  of  duty  in  the  bloody  conflict  at  Seven 
Pines. 

Ben  Allen  Kuox,  Sergeant  in  Company  B,  was  a  gallant 
soldier,  serving  throughout  the  war  with  courage  and  fidelity. 

In  looking  over  the  list  of  officers  and  men  of  the  grand  old 
regiment,  the  writer  is  reminded  that  it  would  take  a  volume  to 


45 


mention  what  might  be  said  of  hundreds  whose  names  I  would  be 
happy  to  mention,  who  are  equally  as  deserving  as  those  I  have 
name*d.  A  few  have  been  selected  here  and  there  as  represen- 
tative men  among  the  others.  A  list  of  the  privates  if  it  could 
be  printed  with  this  sketch  would  be  a  memorial  of  as  brave  and 
true  men  as  the  world  has  ever  known. 

The  survivors  of  the  Fourth  Regiment  will  no  doubt  remem- 
ber three  figures  that  would  not  be  out  of  place  in  a  complete 
picture  of  the  regiment,  and  will,  therefore,  permit  me  to  men- 
tion Colonel  Grimes'  negro  boy,  Polk,  Captain  Carter's  man, 
Jim,  and  the  writer's  boy,  Gus  :  Polk,  the  typical  mulatto,  Gus, 
the  ignorant,  but  loyal  African,  aud  Jim,  the  devoted  and 
faithful  slave. 

SOME    LNXTDEXTS    OF    THE    WAR. 

It  is  a  grateful  privilege  to  mention  the  great  kindness  bestowed 
upon  the  members  of  the  Fourth  Regiment,  as  well  as  upon 
the  Confederate  soldiers  generally,  by  the  people  of  Virginia 
during  the  war.  Their  hospitality  and  kindness  were  unceasing 
and  almost  unbounded.  Conspicuous  among  those  with  whom 
we  came  in  contact  was  Mr.  George  S.  Palmer,  of  Richmond. 
His  name  is  a  synonym  for  all  that  is  generous,  kind  and 
hospitable.  The  writer  was  a  partaker  of  his  kindness,  aod  that 
of  his  noble  wife  and  daughters  on  many  occasions — once  when 
sick,  and  three  times  when  wounded.  The  writer  also  remem- 
bers one  occasion  when  there  were  some  eighteen  wounded  offi- 
cers of  the  Fourth  Regiment  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Palmer.  This 
was  just  after  the  battle  of  Seven  Pines.  He  was  a  man  of 
ample  means,  his  heart  and  soul  were  in  the' cause  of  the 
South,  and  it  was  his  delight  to  spend  and  be  spent  for  that 
cause. 

On  the  20th  of  May,  1864,  the  writer  having  been  wounded 
the  day  before,  was  placed  in  an  ambulance  with  Colonel  F.  M. 
Parker,  of  the  Thirtieth  Regiment,  a  most  gallant  and  faithful 
soldier,  who  also  had  been  wounded  and  was  very  weak.  Cap- 
tain   Fred.    Philips,,   since   Judge    Philips,    of    Tarboro,    had 


46 


charge  of  the  wagon  train,  and  took  the  best  of  care  of  us  as  we 
were  conveyed  towards  Richmond  with  the  other  wounded  men. 
The  day  was  hot  and  we  were  parched  with  fever  and  thirst; 
but  he  supplied  us  from  time  to  time  with  refreshing  draughts 
of  buttermilk  and  ice  which  the  good  people  of  the  country  gave 
him.  It  was  served  in  a  horse-bucket;  but  never  was  sweeter 
or  more  refreshing  draughts  served,  nor  men  more  grateful  than 
we  were. 

In  one  of  the  fights  in  the  Valley  campaign  of  1864,  private 
McCanless,  a  gallant  member  of  Company  K,  was  captured  by 
a  Federal  soldier,  who  was  marching  him  through  the  woods, 
when  they  came  upon  another  man  of  the  same  company,  who 
was  separated  from  his  command,  and  making  his  way  back  as 
fast  as  he  could  run.  "Halt!"  shouted  the  Federalist;  but 
instead  of  halting  the  man  increased  his  speed.  "  Halt ! !  Halt ! ! ! " 
shouted  the  Union  soldier  again,  and  bang  went  his  gun.  But 
his  aim  was  bad,  and  the  man  escaped.  "Now,"  said  McCan- 
less, "you  may  help  yourself;  I,  too,  am  going  back,"  and  with 
that  he  departed  through  the  woods,  leaving  his  captor  standing 
with  his  empty  gun  in  his  hand,  and  made  his  escape. 

On  the  19th  of  May,  1864,  as  we  were  preparing  to  attack  the 
enemy's  flank  and  rear,  General  Ramseur  sent  Captain  Jenkins, 
of  the  Fourteenth  Regiment,  to  capture  what  was  supposed  to 
be  a  squad  of  pickets.  The  Captain  divided  his  squad  of  sharp- 
shooters in  order  to  make  a  dash  from  opposite  sides  upon  an  old 
house  where  the  supposed  pickets  were  thought  to  be.  At  the 
signal  agreed  upon  the  men  rushed  upon  the  house,  but  instead 
of  a  few  pickets  a  whole  regiment  of  Federals  rose  up  and  fired 
upon  the  Captain's  little  band.  The  Captain,  of  course,  beat  a 
hasty  retreat,  and  joined  the  command;  and  soon  the  whole 
line  was  engaged.  General  Ewell  had  his  horse  killed  in  this 
engagement.  It  fell  on  the  General's  wooden  leg,  pinning  him 
to  the  ground.  G.  D.  Snuggs,  of  Company  K,  and  Sergeant 
Barnett,  of  Company  H,  assisted  in  extricating  the  General  from 
his  difficulty.  As  soon  as  he  was  relieved  he  called,  out:  "Men, 
are  we  driving  them?     Are  we  driving  them?" 


47 


In  passing  through  Lexington,  Va.,  on  the  21st  of  June,  1864, 
General  Rodes  directed  Colonel  Wood,  of  the  Fourth  Regiment, 
to  lead  the  column  with  his  regimental  band  playing  a  funeral 
march  as  they  passed  by  the  grave  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  It 
was  a  very  impressive  scene  as  the  brave  old  veterans  of  so  many 
battles  filed  slowly  and  sadly  by  the  last  resting-place  of  their 
departed  hero. 

On  the  retreat  from  Fisher's  Hill,  the  22d  of  September,  1864, 
where  Ewell's  forces  were  badly  demoralized,  and  the  loss  of  the 
whole  commaud  seemed  imminent,  General  Ramseur  called  on 
his  old  brigade  to  hold  the  enemy  in  check  and  protect  the 
retreating  Confederates.  General  Cox,  who  was  in  command, 
did  this  in  splendid  style,  held  the  enemy  in  check  until  night, 
and  then  continued  the  retreat  up  the  Valley.  This  retreat 
was  made  in  two  lines  of  battle,  parallel  with  each  other, 
some  half  mile  apart,  in  which  order  General  Ewell  moved  his 
entire  corps  all  the  next  day,  stopping  occasionally  to  offer  bat- 
tle when  the  enemy  approached  too  near. 

On  the  9th  of  April,  General  Grimes  had  been  fighting  the 
enemy  with  his  division  up  to  the  very  hour  of  the  surrender,  and 
some  say  until  it  had  actually  taken  place;  and  the  Fourth  and 
Fourteenth  Regiments  were  the  last  of  his  division  that  were 
engaged,  so  the  men  of  these  regiments  say. 

At  Gettysburg,  when  we  started  to  make  the  night  attack, 
Colonel  Grimes,  who  could  not  see  very  well  at  night,  sent  for 
Corporal  Friedheim,  of  Company  K,  to  guide  him  and  be  with 
him  in  that  trying  ordeal.  He  knew  full  well  that  he  could 
trust  this  man ;  for  there  was  no  braver  or  truer  soldier  in  the 
army  than  A.  Friedheim. 

General  Grimes  told  the  writer  of  one  of  his  men  who,  on 
the  9th,  hearing  something  said  about  General  Lee's  surrender, 
came  to  him  and  asked  if  the  report  was  true.  "Yes,"  said  the 
General,  "it  is,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  too  true."  Whereupon  the 
poor  fellow  burst  into  tears,  and  cried  out:  "Blow,  Gabriel, 
blow,  I  do  not  want  to  live  another  day." 

Another  one,  a  member  of  Company  K,   Fourth   Regiment, 


48 

whose  name  I  cannot  remember,  set  his  gun  down  at  the  sur- 
render with  a  sigh,  saying:  "Sit  there,  Betsy,  you've  made  many 
of  them  bite  the  dust." 

At  Seven  Pines  the  writer  was  shot  through  the  thigh.  While 
lying  on  the  field  a  Federal  soldier  came  along  with  his  gun. 
As  he  approached  near  where  the  writer  lay  he  covered  him  with 
his  pistol  and  ordered  him  to  halt,  throw  down  his  gun  and 
come  to  him.  The  soldier  obeyed,  and  was  made  to  assist  him 
from  the  field.  In  the  same  battle  the  writer  saw  a  Confederate 
soldier  get  into  a  panic  and  run  with  all  his  might  to  the  rear, 
but  recovering  his  self-possession,  he  returned  to  the  line  as 
rapidly  as  he  had  fled,  and  went  on  through  the  battle;  he  was  never 
known  to  flinch  after  this,  and  was,  after  going  through  many  bat- 
tles, killed  in  an  act  of  conspicuous  bravery.  He  did  not  know 
that  the  writer  saw  him,  nor  was  he  ever  told  that  any  one  saw 
him. 

In  the  battle  of  Spottsylvania  Court  House,  on  the  12th  of 
May,  1864,  private  Thomas  Sprinkle,  of  Company  H,  was 
detailed  to  furnish  the  men  with  ammunition  during  the  fight. 
This  was  a  peculiarly  dangerous  duty  at  any  time,  but  never 
more  so  than  in  this  fight,  as  the  approach  to  the  line  from  the 
rear  was  through  a  perfect  storm  of  bullets  aimed  at  the  men 
behind  the  fortifications.  But  for  hours  the  brave  boy  with 
ruddy,  beardless  face,  continued  to  bring  the  needed  supplies, 
but  late  in  the  afternoon  he  failed  to  reach  the  line,  and  was 
never  seen  again.  Walker  Anderson,  the  Ordnance  Officer 
of  the  brigade,  was  killed  the  same  day.  It  was  at  this  battle 
that  several  trees,  from  twelve  to  fourteen  inches  in  diameter, 
were  shot  until  they  fell,  cut  down  with  minuie-balls.  They 
stood  at  the  angle  of  the  breastworks,  and  were  in  full  range  of 
the  enemy's  fire  from  front  and  both  flanks. 

At  Gettysburg,  as  we  entered  the  town  after  the  enemy  retired 
from  our  front,  Lieutenant  Harney,  of  the  Fourteenth  Regiment, 
was  carried  to  the  rear  mortally  wounded.  Passing  within  a  few 
feet  of  the  writer,  he  displayed  a  Union  flag  which  he  had  cap- 
tured on  the  heights,  where  he  had  gone  with  the  sharp-shooters 


49 


He  entreated  that  the  troops  would  advance  and  capture  the 
heights,  as  the  enemy  was  in  utter  confusion  and  helpless.  His 
dying  request  was  that  the  banner  should  be  sent  to  President 
Davis.  Lieutenant  Harney  was  a  splendid  soldier,  had  seen  ser- 
vice in  the  war  with  Mexico,  and  was  devoted  to  the  cause  of 
the  South. 

In  the  heavy  skirmish  which  took  place  near  Spottsylvania 
Court  House  on  the  8th  of  May,  1864,  the  regiment  advanced  upon 
the  enemy  about  sundown  and  threw  them  into  complete  disorder. 
We  pushed  on  until  dark,  when  we  were  compelled  to  halt,  as  we 
could  not  distinguish  friends  from  foes.  Private  Heilig,  of 
Company  K,  captured  a  Federal  colonel  and  brought  him  out. 
The  colonel  showed  fight,  "but  was  induced  to  submit.  Colonel 
Grimes  gave  Heilig  the  colonel's  pistol  as  a  reward  for  his  cour- 
age. Poor  fellow,  he  was  not  permitted  to  enjoy  his  prize  but 
a  little  while,  as  he  was  killed  on  the  12th. 

When  the  enemy  surprised  and  broke  the  line  of  General 
Doles  on  our  right  on  the  10th  of  May,  1864,  Major  Hardaway, 
of  Alabama,  stood  his  ground,  serving  one  of  his  guns  himself 
until  the  enemy  reached  the  breastworks.  One  of  them  mounted 
the  gun  the  Major  was  serving,  and  waved  his  hat  with  a 
triumphant  shout;  but  the  Major  knocked  him  off  with  his 
sword  and  sullenly  retired  with  his  face  to  the  foe,  until  Battle's 
Alabamians  and  the  Fourth  North  Carolina  came  to  the  rescue. 
He  went  back  with  the  infantry  and  was  the  first  to  reach  the 
line,  and  opened  fire  on  the  retreating  foe.  The  writer  saw  him 
a  few  minutes  later,  and  his  hat  and  clothes  were  riddled  with 
bullets.     He  was  a  grand  man. 

A  notable  experience  with  the  regiment  was  the  march  from 
Port  Royal  to  Fredericksburg  just  before  the  battle  in  Decem- 
ber, 1862.  The  weather  was  very  cold,  snow  was  on  the  ground 
and  the  roads  one  continuous  slush  from  six  to  twelve  inches 
deep,  and  blocked  with  wagons  and  artillery.  The  night  was 
pitch-dark,  there  being  neither  moon  nor  stars,  and  the  march 
continued  all  night  long.  The  men  were  compelled  to  remain 
on  their  feet  most  of  the  time,  as  there  were  few  places  to  rest 


50 


upon  for  the  mud;  sometimes  marching  a  few  rods,  or  a  few 
hundred  yards,  and  then  waiting  fifteen,  twenty  or  thirty  minutes 
on  account  of  the  blocking  of  the  roads  by  the  stalling  of  teams 
and  wagons  in  front. 

Daring  the  skirmish  on  the  11th  of  May,  1864,  near  Spottsyl- 
vania  Court  House,  Sergeant  Houlshouser,  of  Company  K,  was 
sitting  with  his  back  against  a  good  sized  tree,  our  part  of  the 
line  not  being  then  engaged,  when  a  cannon-ball  struck  the 
opposite  side  of  the  tree,  killing  him  instautly  by  the  shock. 

On  the  5th  of  May,  1864,  as  General  Rodes'  Division  was 
moving  in  line  of  battle  so  near  the  enemy  as  at  one  time  to  com- 
pel Rarnseur's  Brigade  to  take  position  in  rear  of  the  main  line 
to  avoid  exposure  to  the  enemy's  fire,  General  Ramseur  re- 
monstrated with  General  Rodes  on  account  of  being  placed  in 
the  rear.  General  Rodes  told  him  in  a  jocular  way  that  if  he 
"  would  move  those  Yankees  away  from  there  he  could  place 
his  brigade  in  line."  Whereupon  General  Ramseur  deployed  his 
men  and  made  a  rush  through  the  woods,  firing  and  yelling,  and 
soon  cleared  the  woods  of  the  enemy's  sharp-shooters;  when  he 
put  his  brigade  in  position  on  the  left.  It  should  be  borne  in 
mind,  however,  that  the  enemy  had  all  they  could  attend  to  in 
another  part  of  the  field  at  that  time. 

In  the  winter  of  1863  many  of  the  men  had  no  shoes  and 
were  suffering  much  from  cold  as  the  troops  were  on  the  march. 
General  Hill  ordered  that  every  man  who  had  no  shoes  should 
be  provided  with  raw  hide  moccasins.  Some  of  the  men  com- 
plied with  the  order,  but  soon  found  they  were  of  no  use  for  when 
the  sun  came  out  they  became  too  hard,  and  when  the  ground  was 
wet  they  could  not  keep  them  on  their  feet. 

When  James  Bowers,  of  Company  K,  fell  at  Seven  Pines 
with  the  flag  of  the  regiment  in  his  hand,  he  said  to  a  comrade: 
"Tell  Mr.  Bruner  (the  man  with  whom  he  had  lived)  that  I 
died  with  my  face  to  the  enemy." 

THE    LAST    SCENE    OF   THE    WAR. 

The  Fourth  Regiment  was  on  the  right  of  the  brigade  at 
Appomattox  on  the  9th  of  April,  1865,  and  was  the  first  in  the 


51 


brigade  to  stack  arms.  When  this  was  clone  General  Grimes 
called  them  to  "attention"  for  the  last  time,  and  had  them  to 
file  past  him  in  order  that  he  might  shake  hands  with  each  man, 
and  as  he  did  so,  with  streaming  eyes  and  faltering  voice,  he 
said:  "Go  home,  boys,  and  act  like  men,  as  you  have  always 
done  during  the  war." 

CONCLUSION. 

I  have  endeavored  to  give  a  faithful  sketch  of  this  grand  body 
of  men;  but  I  am  painfully  aware  of  having  failed  to  do  the 
subject  justice.  Thirty-five  years  of  labor  and  toil  have  effaced 
many  important  incidents  from  a  mind  constantly  crowded  with 
the  cares  and  duties  of  official  and  ministerial  life.  Besides,  I 
have  been  compelled  to  write  in  the  midst  of  many  pressing  cares 
and  labors,  and  to  procure  my  facts  from  other  sources  of  infor- 
mation than  ray  own,  not  having  kept  a  record  of  the  events  as 
they  occurred.  And  here  I  wish  to  acknowledge  my  deep  indebt- 
edness to  Captain  John  A.  Stikeleather,  the  Rev.  W.  A.  Wood, 
D.  D.,  and  Mr.  Pulaski  Cowper  in  the  letters  of  General  Grimes, 
edited  by  him;  to  Mr.  Nathanal  Raymer,  a  member  of  the  band 
of  the  Fourth  Regiment,  who  sent  me  his  letters  written  during 
the  war  under  the  signature  of  "Nat,"  in  The  Statesville  Ameri- 
can; for  the  notes  kept  by  Dr.  Shinn,  of  Company  B,  and  the 
note-book  of  Mr.  E.  B.  Stinson  of  the  band  of  the  Fourth 
Regiment.  Also,  for  many  items  of  interest  by  Mr.  G.  D. 
Snuggs,  a  gallant  member  of  the  Fourth  Regiment,  and  a 
splendid  member  of  the  corps  of  sharp-shooters.  And  last,  but 
by  no  means  least,  for  very  valuable  information  furnished  by 
Captain  W.  C.  Coughenour,  Dr.  J.  F.  Shaffner  and  Captain  M. 
L.  Bean.  I  have  also  received  valuable  items  from  Captain  H. 
M.  Warren  and  Sergeant-major  John  Graham  Young,  R.  O. 
Leinster,  Dr.  J.  C.  Hadley,  Mr.  Henry  C.  Severs,  Captain  S.  A. 
Kelley,  Major  Stansill  and  others,  for  all  of  which  I  am  very 
grateful. 

In  looking  over  the  history  of  the  Fourth  Regiment  the  writer 
is  reminded  of  many  facts  that  throw  light  upon  the  history  and 
character  of  the  organization.   A  marked  characteristic  of  our  men 


52 


was  their  sobriety  and  piety.  The  writer  does  not  recall  a  half  dozeD 
instances  of  drunkenness  in  the  regiment  during  the  War,  and'-- 
but  few  of  gross  profanity  or  immorality.  They  were  a  pious  and 
orderly  set  of  men.  The  camps  often  resounded  with  hymns  and 
songs.  Among  the  latter  ''Annie  Laurie  "  was  a  great  favorite;  also- 
"  Dixie,"  md  "  My  Old  Cabin  Home."  Prayers  were  conducted  in 
many  or  the  tents,  and  religious  services  were  well  attended.  Pro- 
fanity amongst  the  officers  was  seldom  heard.  Colonel  Anderson's 
example  and  influence  in  this  respect  was  very  marked ;  also 
that  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Young,  and  Major  Grimes,  though 
of  a  quick  and  fiery  temper,  was  careful  never  to  take  the 
Holy  Name  in  vain.  They  were  all  God-fearing  men,  and  not 
given  to  loose  talking  nor  drink.  The  writer  never  heard  any 
conversation  at  headquarters  that  would  have  offended  the  most 
modest  and  religious  feelings.  The  company  officers  were  gener- 
ally of  high  moral  character,  and  many  of  them  were  Chris- 
tian men  whose  influence  was  felt  among  their  rank  and  file.  In 
fact  they  only  represented  the  men  of  the  ranks,  from  whence 
they  had  been  taken.  E.  A.  Osborne. 

Charlotte,  N.  C, 

April  9,  1900.     . 


